Dollhouse
by Lyumia
Summary: ...Cloud smiled- really smiled, the kind he only gave to his boyfriend when he did something cute, or said something wonderful- "I'm a sassy brat with a billion Gil, international crime syndicate currently eloped to the strongest, and most handsome man in the world, but sassy brat works too." He quipped... Currently under revision.
1. Chapter 1: School House

Like any mountain boy, the first thing learned to make the bitter winters more bearable was to conserve as much warmth as you could, and just maybe only your lips will turn blue- for Cloud Strife, however was another story.

Naturally, he was drawn to the cold, sitting down on his wooden roof and overlooking the town with a frown, flecks of snow twirling around him and melting on his exposed skin.

To one side there were the Lockhart's, and to the right were the siblings', across from him he could see the inn, the store, the only three cars in town, the courthouse, the well- and more in the distance- Shinra Villa. More houses behind the circle, whilst the mansion sat alone on it's perch, it's faded and cracked paint visible if he squinted his clear blue eyes and mentally urged himself to.

On the outer edge of town in the outskirts, step-pa was with a slut at the brothel further off in the outskirts.

The thought disgusted him to no end- and the worse thing was nobody did or said anything about it. "Sweetie, it's not that easy." His mother cooed sadly, running her hands though his hair.

He looked up at her and his frown deepened. "Why not?"

"You're not old enough to understand." She nodded as he bit on his lip in an effort to hold back his groan of frustration.

"What's not to fucking understand?" He grumbled, rising to his feet and shuffling towards the large oak tree, it's long arms extended, welcoming, and inviting with its long blueish grey moss draped over it's aged limbs; climbing onto the sturdy branch he carefully climbed down and walked along the sidewalk quietly.

To them he was just a man with not so respectable habits. While most men in the town took to hunting and gave their sons rifles while their daughters received elaborate dresses, he took to the bar every night and frequented the brothel when no one was looking.

Except, Cloud was.

It was easy to learn quirks by just watching- Mr Bosch has a slight slouch? It's probably the medical bill's he's pulling out of his mailbox from the time he broke his foot- no one in the town had insurance; on the contrary to the rumor that his wife kicked him out on the couch and slammed his foot in the door. Mrs Fuhrmann rubbing her temples? Drinking. Some of the older kids in school suddenly craving a behemoth sized platter? Drugs.

It wasn't hard to see.

Mount Nibel was a mass of looming ivory rock with a snowy peak, home to some of the most malicious monsters on the planet- ranging from dragons to wolves it was a far more hostile environment than it's forest. Walking past the mansion the path gave way to black soil that was a familiar solidity underneath his foot.

He never paid much mind to his step father, Cloud would notice the animosity between him and his mother sometimes... A meaningful glare... A rough touch. He really didn't understand, because no one would explain it to him. He scowled, ripping a few berries off a bush he past and shoved them into his mouth; he hated the man, he really did- he hated they way he would drink, he hated the way he pushed his mother around. She wasn't even submissive, but she was scrambling to the fridge to give him another drink.

It made him sick.

He sat on a rock, slightly sloped upwards to overlook the town, only the faint silver outline of the houses could be seen thanks to the moonlight and the lights shimmering on the dark blanket of the night sky. He caught sight of dark glowing eyes watching him through the undergrowth and snow, shaggy fur standing over it's cover.

For now the wolf would just watch. Then it would loose interest in search of easy prey. Sometimes he wished humans weren't like that.

Making his way down the mountain by using the deer trails, and crawling through his window he slipped underneath his blanket and laid his head against his pillow, attentive as the familiar soft creak of the front door hinges' drifted into his bedroom and compelled him to listen as his mother's muffled voice spoke softly.

"...get ...woman...do you...the bills? Do you..." Cloud cringed at the audible crash that followed. "That's right bitch, you don't own shit- go on cry, play the 'victim'."

How fucking dare he? Tossing his sheets aside he jumped to his feet. The door was right there. Open it, he ordered to his trembling fingers. Do something.

"...fucking sleep..." Another crash, and a grumble. His legs gave out beneath him and he fell to the floor listening to his mother's sobs. I'm sorry, I'm sorry I didn't do anything. How could he just sit here? Weak and crying for no reason- he had no reason to, when it was his mother was hurt.

He hated himself for being scared.

Noiselessly, he opened his door and avoided the wooden planks that creaked, sitting down at her side. Tentatively, he rubbed small circles on her shoulder, wishing he was better at comforting her. I'm so sorry. "Go back to bed sweetie..."

Reluctantly, he stood, giving her a light hug before returning to his room and sitting on his bed in silence.

He was so fucking pitiful. Sitting there and doing nothing. He was so fucking pitiful.

He tugged the plug to his alarm clock out of the outlet before it could go off and winced as the sunlight began to seep through his shutters. Brushing his teeth he ran his fingers through his hair, glowering at the stubborn spikes that stood at attention while others did as they pleased. The few strands that fell over his blue eyes tickled his nose and cheeks.

He was smaller than most kids in his grade, he rose to the balls of his feet on his stool and poked at the slight curve developing under his cheek bone. He ran his fingers underneath his chin, feeling the bone and slightly straighter contour. At least now he didn't look too much like a girl.

He reached back to finger the long strands growing at the bottom of his head- or as one of his classmates called it a 'Chocobo mullet'. He would cut it eventually, but for now it was fine brushing the base of his neck.

Changing into his clothes he glanced at the door leading outside in their living room, where his mother slept, an empty glass on the table in front of her. Frowning, he walked to the closet and pulled out a spare blanket and draped it over her body, placing an icepack on her bruising forearm.

Unlocking the window he jumped out of it and slid it shut, and walking down the sidewalk to the school. "Why did you jump out your window?" A familiar voice giggled and Cloud stiffened, looking back to stared wide eyes at the brown haired girl who smiled at him brightly with her red eyes.

Tifa..."...I..." His voice cracked and instead he joked; "...was completing my life long dream of jumping out a million windows."

She blinked in confusion.

"I was joking."

She giggled, and he never felt so undeserving in his short life. "Oh...you're so serious it's hard to tell sometimes." She skipped to his side, smiling wider at the sight of the wooden building. Don't you hate me?

"Tifa-" He began before another voice overlapped his and three girls waved to her from near the flag pole.

"Bye Cloud, I'll see you later." She waved, running over to her friends and leaving him alone to his thoughts. Biting back his resentment, made is ways through the shirt hallways to the library, where the librarian gave him a scowl before returning to reshuffling her stack as Cloud sat himself down at one of the old computers that dusted in the library.

Most children not in the elementary grade didn't know how to use computers since they mostly played outside, or with their toys inside when it was too cold, while Cloud spent equal time on both since Tifa and he fell off the bridge the day she tried to go up the Nibel mountain, most of the other children made him the subject of torment and mockery.

Originally he hadn't meant to become a grey hat, but the internet was just there... Most of the news circulated around the Wutai Conflict between the Shinra Electric Power Company and the western nation.

Since the quickly ending twentieth century Shinra has been rising to power and spreading across the Continents' like weeds and roots hurried into stone, originally starting as a weapons manufacturer, the new SOLDIER department, and growing territory it was quickly becoming an industrial superpower.

Shinra had long been in Nibelheim- proof being the reactor on the mountain (that he might've accidentally cracked into because the entire system was connected), and the mansion (which was a miracle he even managed to work with that system since the computers shouldn't even be functioning)- but the tiny town was quickly deemed insignificant in the promise of a neo-city under construction between Kalm and Junon.

He leaned back in the plastic chair and stared at the Shinra website with a frown, recalling some off the bits he managed to decrypt about the use of mako on human beings- while monsters and all were nice, he wasn't really interested in all that because of the Wutain website (he had miraculously managed to translate using a program that made the school computer crash six times) that was a former school stated the mako was extremely dangerous and exposure could cause an addition or an overdose that could quickly lead to death.

On the other hand, maybe if he had improved strength, he wouldn't be such so pathetically weak.

 _Mako Poisoning. Death upon exposure. Are you not reading these things_? He frowned, running his hands through his hair- while controversial, mako was part of everyday life and provided power to many towns. The people were completely dependent on it. While he didn't understand much, he at least knew that.

The warning bell let out it's shrill cry and the librarian that was trying to look over his shoulder (yes, he noticed you and can assure you that he's not watching porn) scrambled back to her desk and reshuffling her pile of books as he rolled his eyes in annoyance.

Walking into his classroom, and already missing the lone nights of summer when the loud chatter ceased to a whisper at his arrival he could hear a group of girls whisper 'it's the ice prince.'

While the name was in no way offending, it did get annoying once you find that someone took the liberty of putting ice cubes in his book bag right before summer and got him another visit from officer pig-face for getting into a fight.

Along with the name came the rumors of his 'evil ice castle' where he froze animals solid and sucked out their souls- which made absolutely no sense to Cloud, but when he had looked up the concept of 'soul harvesting' he found some interesting search results.

 _'I heard that the new teacher is from the other continent.'_

 _'My older brother said she was a babe.'_

 _'What's a babe?'_

 _'Who knows.'_

Resisting the urge to snicker, the entire class fell silent as a woman with dark skin and curly black hair that bounced in a ball on her head- Cloud had seen the style online, recalling that it was called an afro- bright blue blouse and matching skirt with white stripes it was easy to tell this woman was definitely not from anywhere near Nibelheim.

"Alright y'all, settle down." She urged to a group that resumed gossiping. Cloud noted that there were a few grey strands at her roots. "My name's Miss Merryweather, y'all can call me Miss, Miss Merryweather, or Ma'am. Are we clear?"

"Yes Miss Merryweather." The class replied in chorus, while Cloud remained silent in his seat.

"Good. Let's go over classroom rules." She set down her purse on her desk, taking chalk from it's cup and writing on the board she wrote a number one and wrote the word 'Respect'. "Does anybody know the definition of this word?"

Cloud glanced around, not surprised to see the other second years looking amongst themselves for a clue.

"How about you. What's your name?" She looked at Cloud with her dark eyes observant.

"Cloud." He hesitantly muttered.

"Speak clearly, please."

"Cloud."

He repeated louder, and she smiled gently, then assumed her stern composure. "Do you know the definition Cloud?"

"I wouldn't expect the ice prince to know, he's so stupid." A boy snickered, and Miss Merryweather gave him a chilling glare.

"Would you like to elaborate on that young man?" She challenged, a crease forming between her narrowing eyebrows.

While Cloud wondered why she was getting angry, the oblivious student continued. "They say he's just a little ice demon walking around in human skin, like an animal, he doesn't get that no one likes him either." He snorted.

"What's your name boy?" She frowned, her laugh lines deepening.

"Benjamin." He answered unsurely.

"Benjamin, can you tell me why respect is important?"

"No ma'am."

"Then I suggest you stay on topic." She wrote next to respect 'to acknowledge the qualities of another thing, object, figure, or person positively; to show proper acceptance towards a subject.' "Read along with me; to acknowledge the qualities of another thing, object, figure, or person positively; to show proper acceptance towards a subject." She parroted with them.

"Can y'all tell me why this is important?" Silence. She sighed. "Respect is important because it shows that one values another as an individual, and that he or she honors the personal rights and dignity of the person as a fellow human being. Any questions?"

Raised hands.

She smiled, her shoulders falling slightly. "When I call on y'all, please tell me your name, and say your question." She nodded towards the middle sibling I lived next to. "Go on."

"My name is Mila, and I still don't get why this is important." The red head frowned looking back and forth between Miss Merryweather and the board.

Leaning forward on his desk, Cloud listened intently.

"Because, people who are disrespectful don't make many friends." She explained. "Other people won't want to be around y'all, if y'er not only rude, but if y'all mistreat their belongings too."

That made sense. A few hands went down.

Hesitantly, Cloud raised his hand.

"Yes Cloud?' She smiled a little wider- encouragingly at him and he felt his unease abate.

"Why do you value respect?" He watcher her posture carefully as his question sink in and she looked...elated.

"To me respect means that everyone can live together peacefully with tolerance." She hesitated before she contained. "Do y'all know what Genocide is?"

Most of the class shook their heads. Cloud bit his lip thoughtfully; he had heard the word on an anti-Shinra website, but he never though it was important. He raised his hand again. "Something Shinra does a lot?"

She threw her head back in a hearty laugh, her entire small frame shaking for a long moment before she shook her head. "Yes, son, you could say that. Genocide is the intentional mass homicide of a group with certain... traits, such as religion, or a nation. Yes?"

"Um..." A black haired boy frowned, and twirled his fingers together nervously. "My name is Thomas ma'am, and I was wondering what's religion?"

She paused, tilting her head and smoothing out her afro that sprang up the instant after her touch left it. "A collection of beliefs." She looked like she wanted to say more, and Cloud was tempted to ask her what else she had to say, but Benjamin beat him to it by asking; "Like what?"

Her chocolate brown eyes almost glowed and she turned to the board once more and drew a few strange symbols. "It's more so a cultural system, most explain the world and it's workings and... A 'code' of morals, for lack of better phrasing." She touched her springy hair again.

"They'd have gatherings to practice their teachings and express their beliefs. Most religions believed that before the world was created- or the Universe, if ya will, there was only complete darkness or Choas, but personally I believe it to be a state of complete nonexistence."

"Complete nonexistence..." Cloud repeated in a whispered, eagerly leaning forward with his hands on his desk.

"Then, a figure if higher power- a God, or deity, gave the universe foundation, in some religions they furthered that creation by creating other deities, while others remained the only Gods or Goddess. Most religious scriptures assign...a role, to put it simply- to deities, to explain concepts, such as why the seasons change and why the sky is blue."

She giggled. "Though the actual study of religion is much more complicated, it all runs on the same format because it's all based off of one thing or another- once it no longer becomes relevant or another replaces it, a religion becomes myth."

Cloud frowned, watching as a girl- one of Tifa's trio- raised her hand. "Isolde, Miss, why would people want it become myth?"

Miss Merryweather twirled the chalk in her fingers. "Honestly darling, I have no clue. So far humans are the only one's I know to be so obsessed with categories and groups the real reason was lost long ago." She mused thoughtfully.

"It's like language, constantly changing and evolving that after a while everyone forgets how it started and it becomes part of everyday life- slang and words, that is." She elaborated. "Since yer generation is being built off of technology, science and logic, I expect many religions to become myth soon. Maybe not for a while, but soon enough."

Nibbling on the edge of his pencil, he listened intently as she continued. "But then again the age of scientific discovery could offer much more creative growth than the monsters and legends of my day." She smiled.

"Y'all look like a creative bunch, if you feel like talking to me about anything, whenever's appropriate, feel free. Now onto the second rule." Next to a number two she wrote 'No Bullying'. "Can anybody tells me what this means?" She asked, tapping on the word 'bullying'. "Yes, you in the back."

Cloud craned his neck to look back at a boy with dark hair and bright green eyes. He spoke proudly, upright in his seat. "It's when you mess with someone right?"

"Yes, in a sense, bullying is unwanted, aggressive behave'n a school environment, and often enough times, it happens repeatedly." She chuckled. "Y'all might not have it as bad as my day though. Do you know what 'messing' with someone who's in another age group is called?"

Silence. "Harassment, or if they take it far enough, assault. These days you go to court if an adult harasses someone, which is why respect and 'no bully'n' go together- if you practice respect now y'all are less likely to go to prison on accounts of assault, or if it escalates to a point; murder."

"Murder?" Mila gaped.

"Yes darling, murder- y'all know what that is right?" She watched as they all nodded, Cloud winced when the metal of the eraser scraped his teeth due to the movement, and watched as Miss Merryweather grew serious. "Do y'all know why people murder?" Or the most part everyone remained silent, but out of the corner of his eyes Cloud saw a few shake their heads.

"There's many reasons, but the most predominant are called 'hate-crimes'. Y'all ever heard of that before?" More head shakes. "It's a usually violent movement against certain people, like Genocide, but not all of it's murder. Like, jump'n someone, or burning down a structure of religious value. Now, I'm pretty lenient for the most part since I used to teach older classes and I was a child once, but I don't tolerate religious, sexual, and physical discrimination. It's just unethical."

Discrimination? Unethical?

"Ah, I forgot, discrimination is the unjust, prejudice- that's forming an opinion about someone before you meet them based off of others opinions- treatment of categories of people or things, today it's mostly around the subject of sex, race, age and such." She waved her hand as she spoke."Ethnics are the morals, values and beliefs one places in their life or by society, being unethical betrays those things. A good example is the Wutai conflict- y'all heard about that?"

Cloud sat a little stiffer in his chair.

"Cloud?" She raised a thin, curved black eyebrow at him. "Is something wrong?"

"I...read about that stuff online." He swallowed thickly. How had he missed all this. "It said that 'by sending the new SOLDIER's to Wutai, Shinra is subjecting Wutain's to a Genocide worse than that of the extinct races that were subjected to the worst case Holocausts' in history'." He quoted. "What does that mean? What were they talking about?"

She frowned, sitting down in her desk and folding her hands together. "This is considered to be...'misinformation'...that means what I'm about to tell y'all was completely erased from history books. It also means that it can not leave this classroom or some people will be...scared..."

"Scared of what?" The black haired boy blurted out.

"Ah, sorry, I didn't catch your name." Miss Merryweather smiled sadly.

"It's Jeffrey, Miss." Jeff grinned. "What are they scared of, miss?"

She sighed, leaning back in her chair. "A while before y'all were born there was this once great King who allegedly was the ruler of the planet. He had an army that crippled any threats, genius innovators- people who made things- and a diverse, beautiful culture. At the peak of his reign his own court murdered him, they took control if the world and murdered their own people by burn'n and starve'n them until The Court suddenly disappeared with all their advanced machinery along with them"

"They're all gone?" A student said, while another commented; "if they're gone, why are people afraid?"

"Some say that the spirits of The Court were exiled from the Promised Land for their crimes, so they linger around those who dare speak their names and subject them to eternal suffering." She shrugged.

"Though other accounts that were recovered after the brutality stated that they lingered around those as malicious as them, so there's really no concrete accounts I can build a proper theory on. My third rule is confidentiality, that means if y'all want to tell me something and I don't believe it's harmful to y'all or others I won't tell anyone." Then she laughed. "That doesn't include report cards and progress reports."

The collective awes' that arose was too priceless to not let himself laugh.


	2. Chapter 2: Family House

Somehow, Miss Merryweather's eccentric lessons (and negligence to mention what sex was, and vaguely explained that it was a topic for older audiences) she had somehow made him forget his exhaustion thanks to his insomnia as Tifa walked at his side. "Ugh, class was so boring! What about you Cloud?"

He felt his stomach flop in his abdomen as if it could grow wings and fly. "It was really interesting." He smiled, thinking back to all he had eagerly scribbled down in his notebook. "We played vocabulary golf."

She giggled, folding her hands together and holding them. "How does that even work?! Did you break any windows, window hopper?"

"Broken windows don't count." Cloud stuck his tongue out at her, and allowed himself to smile as they passed the water tower. "You pick a word length, and depending on the length that's how far you have to stand back in the classroom and guess the definition of that word using context clues, suffixes, and prefixes. If you get it right it's a point to your team, and you can score extra points for your team if you can get the ball into the hole- which was basically a glorified trash can." He blushed, realizing he was rambling. "Sorry...I got carried away."

She gave him her winning smile, and he felt the warmth in his cheeks grow. "It's okay, I'm glad you're happy." She paused, her smile faltering slightly. _Don't frown. I'd do anything to make you smile._ "Are you okay Cloud?"She inquired offhandedly, biting her lip anxiously.

He frowned, looking up at her house and stopping in front of the picket fence. "Yeah, why do you ask?"

She turned, her turquoise flats kicking up the summer dust that would soon become a hardened sheen of ice. "No reason. See you tomorrow Cloud." And just like that she was gone.

 _Did I do something wrong?_ He thought as he turned to face his house, groaning at the sight of the cop car. That ment either officer pig-face was hanging around to harass him or Isa was trying to convince his mother to get her husband to stop drinking. Approaching on the sidewalk he glowered up at the fat man who's pig face smiled down at Cloud maliciously. "Hey, brat, I hope you're not causing trouble. Hehehe..."

"No, if you're wondering, I haven't seen your son spanking it with your porn magazines on your bed. Not at all." He drawled bitterly, attempting to walk past the man, but Sheriff Atchterberg decided to shove his swollen gut into Cloud's face and diminished any possibly of walking away from this unscathed.

"What did you say, boy!?" He roared, spit flying from his lips.

"I said the Dirty Sanchez you call a face looks as lovely as ever." He snapped, ducking past the other side and swiftly escaping into his house.

"You- rotten brat! I'll get you one day!" The man cursed outside, letting out a slew of swears that ought make his grandparents roll in their grave. His mother stirred on the couch, blinking at him wearily and inching away from the light.

"Sorry ma." Cloud closed the dark curtains (with mild satisfaction at seeing Atchterberg's appalled expression as the man stumbled towards the door) and returned to her mother's side, taking the melted icepack from her arm and taking it into the kitchen.

It's the least he could do...for being so weak. He was about to bring another to her when he heard, "Cloud, I'm going to get some sleep." And the inner structure of the worn couch sighing in relief as she moved through the kitchen and into her room.

Cloud stared at the door as it closed, pausing mid-step and stayed focus on the wood, where there were a few deep scratches from when his mother was trying to claw her way into the room where step-pa isolated himself during an argument, and similarity there were a few shallow dents from where his fist had connected with the door during said fights.

Retreating back into his room he let out a breath he hadn't knew he was holding, dropping his book bag down he frowned at his own door- his room in one tediously slow spin. It was so barren it was almost...unwelcoming. Frowning he slid his window open and stepped outside and inhaled the cold air deeply; stepping down onto the small blades of grass he began to walk on the sidewalk to go to the mountain.

"Uh...Cloud..." Cloud blinked at Benjamin, who ran his hand through his dark hair nervously. "I just wanted...to say I was sorry. For, you know, calling you stupid."

"Among other things." Cloud dralwed flatly, impatiently looking back up to the mountain.

"Are you mad at me?" He asked, slightly bolder and stepped into his field of vision stubbornly.

"No- not you." Was all he said, still looking up at the mountain. He really didn't want to talk to anybody at the moment- he just wanted the cold snow of Mount Nibel, maybe if he was lucky he could see a few hares that should be letting their young into the wild by now. "What do you want?" He could already hear the whispers from the bystanders that watched curiously.

 _''That child is a cold hearted demon...so unlike his father.''_

 _'Wow, the ice prince is so cold.'_

 _'Yeah, guy's pretty cruel. I hear he kills the wild animals running around and eats them raw.'_

 _'Gross!'_

 _'Yeah, they say he's like a rampaging monster, and'll punch you without a second thought'_

 _''What's that Benjamin doing?''_

 _''Goodness, I hope the ice devil isn't going to hurt him.''_

"I want to be friends with you."

"Huh?" Cloud blinked again, pushing back Benjamin's brown hair with a hand, he checked for injuries. "How hard did you hit your head?"

"I didn't. I want to be friends with you." Dark brown eyes looked back at him in determination... Well as much determination as an eight year old facing a lone Nibel Wolf could have.

Rubbing the back of his neck shyly he glared down at the dirt that was settling down on his shoes. He didn't deserve a friend did he? Of course not! He couldn't protect Tifa, or stand up for his mother- he didn't deserve friends, let alomn one. But how was he supposed to explain this? "I...guess...but I'm a pretty shitty friend." He tried honestly. Maybe that would caution Benjamin away.

He smiled, rocking back and forth on thew heels of his sneakers. "Cool, so, why don't you use your door?"

"I'm completing my life long dream of jumping out a million windows." He deadpanned and watched in bafflement as Benjamin bent over and howled in laughter.

"You're silly." He giggled, steadying his breath. "So, where you headed?"

Cloud shoved his hands into deep into his pockets and tried to ignore the warm feelings swelling in his stomach when Benjamin smiled at him warmly. "I was gonna take a walk up the mountain."

"Okay lets go, I'll race ya!" He bolted off, leaving Cloud looking after him with an air of idiocy.

Realization downing, he let out a panicked squawk of indignation, shouting after him; "no fair! You got a head start!"

* * *

May Merryweather sighed, shuffling the small folder of paperwork given to her by the headmaster. She had rambled longer than she needed to about topics that many of the conservative folks of Nibelheim would never approve of.

She couldn't help but smile when she thought about her students- they were already proving to be a curious and incentive bunch- which was encouraging for an old woman her age. With a push and a shove they could take hold of the lessons she had planned themselves, and that was better than any education that could ever be provided in a classroom.

She couldn't wait to see how they would grow by the end of the year- every month counted in developing them into proper young adults and future outstanding citizens. Hopefully they'd all grow old to be liberal folk with their own grandchildren in the distant future.

Cloud Strife.

She opened her folder, staring down at the picture of the frowning blonde, his upper lip bleeding and a dark bruise forming over his eye. Most of the papers in the folder were his- medical reports, police reports, and various other documents that had nothing but bad to say for the youngling- which was odd because it contradicted how he held himself in the class; a shy, timid person, reluctant to let others be around him.

The way he hesitantly accepted Mila's offer by blushing and ducking his head suggested that he'd never been the subject of affection, which delved into his medical reports.

Four foot five, blonde hair, fair skin, blue eyes, only child of his family of three had been brought to the clinic seventeen times starting at the age of three, which put a five year difference between then and now. But it a small difference. Barely there.

More concerning was the fact that he was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder a year ago due to an incident in the school bathroom which he was found unconscious with a broken hand and had no recollections of the event according to Deputy Isa Charles whose reports stated that Cloud's memory lapses indicate that similar events may have happened in the past.

It really made her sick.

She folded her hands underneath her chin and scowled. Brain Atchterberg was the instigator of these constant brawls- apparently an incident with a Tifa Lockhart a Month ago was the new excuse, but after the most recent occurred, Cloud was sent to the clinic with various injuries of concern and was never treated, as opposed to the two others who were given pain killers and one even had surgery for his broken finger.

The only time he had even been administered medical treatment was when he broke his hand.

Something was going on.

Closing her eyes she sighed. He would take some work- building trust between them because he obviously felt that school wasn't a safe place for him, even if he never remembered the pain of association was still there. Adult are supposed to care for children- even if they weren't their own, Children were supposed to associate adults with safety in their environment, and when their environment proved to be dangerous they became introverted and resentful.

At this rate he could either cut himself off completely and take his frustrations out on himself or take his frustrations out on others. She thought back to the determined expression he had when he was playing with his peers- he was trying his hardest for them, even though she could tell most of them had been the source of his torment. She chuckled, recalling how Benjamin especially faltered under that intense gaze. Already she could tell that whoever stood in his way would be completely crippled when he was done with them.

 _"Miss Merryweather?"_ Benjamin called, his confident voice cracking slightly.

" _That is my name._ " She smiled as the rest of the class left with their belongings. " _Is there something ya'd like to talk about?_ "

He had nodded, looking up at her adamantly. It was a good quality to have- being able to ask questions would help him in the future. "Cloud."

"I see. Y'all don't know each other very well, I take it?" She ran a hand through her curly hair, resisting the urge to smile as the thick strands only let her rub the surface.

"No, I got into a fight with him once, but he didn't remember."

At the time she had been confused at his words. "Didn't remember?" She looked out the window, spotting the familiar untameable crown of spikes next to a head of long brown hair.

"Yeah, Brian says he never remembers anything so that's why he gets away with fighting all the time." He hesitated before he added, "he gave me the same look, I don't know what happened. He fought like...I don't know." His hands dropped to his side helplessly.

"Well, if y'all had the time to look, ya'd find that he's not one to haphazardly toss his weight around." She chuckled, erasing the chalk on the board with a rag. Glancing down to find him looking up at her in confusion, so she continued. "Haphazardly means to do something without trying your hardest. When y'all knocked him down he got right back up didn't he?"

Benjamin's eyes light up in understanding. "Yeah, the fight lasted till Deputy Isa pulled us apart." That was good, he was already finding unprejudiced qualities in Cloud already, it was sure to cause understanding in others.

 _"Then why don't ya try being his friend?"_ She recalled her words as she slung her purse onto her arm and locked the classroom door behind her.

 _"How do I do that?"_

 _"Ask."_ Cloud would be a good friend to him. Maybe even help the boy step out of his shell. She shook her head. No, they were still young, only eight. They shouldn't have a single care in the world.

"Miss Merryweather." She turned her head to look at a large woman who frowned at her with her bight red lipstick.

"Mrs. Fruhmann, can I help ya with something?" May smiled, turning fully to look at the older woman who taught grade three across the hall.

"Your class was rather loud this evening. I hope you have everything under control." Her green eyes narrowed suspiciously and May couldn't help but sympathize with Cloud. If the citizens were like this towards foreigners, it ment they were more comfortable being crueler toward their own because prejudices could be established easier.

"Oh, we just got a little carried away with the lesson. They're very smart children Mrs Fruhmann. We're lucky to have them. " May noted that she flinched away as the door that lead outside opened, and glanced to see an officer with dark hair tied up on his head walking in their direction.

"Deputy, I don't recall the principal mentioning an appointment with you." The other woman crossed her arms over her chest.

"I was hoping to speak to you, Miss Merryweather." He replied cooly, unaffected by her bitter tone. "But it's always a pleasure to see you Mrs Fruhmann." His voice was flat, but he might as well obliterate her grandparents grave with a cannon by the way he completely disregarded her. If she were any younger May would've giggled. It was as if he had perfected the art of politely telling someone to fuck off.

She could already tell he and Cloud knew each other well, comparing how the boy had sassed to no one in particular when he missed the definition of a word that even confused educated adults to this day. Dare she even believe he tried to model himself after the Deputy. "Well, what would ya like to speak about?"

His eyes held a mixture of emotions for a moment- most likely from her accent- but he quickly became impassive as he said towards Mrs Fruhmann; "if you'd excuse us." _I can't stand you, so get out of my sight_ were the words that silently rolled off his tongue, and May couldn't help but wonder what less appropriate phrases he could use to silently tell off another person.

Judging by his appearance he was Wutain- or at least half Wutain- she could see he was well built and at the prime of his health in comparison to the large Sheriff, he was handsome and young, and they obviously clashed more than the other townspeople he already held little regard for.

While May wondered how many similar thoughts he and Cloud shared the man began: "You may have already heard, but my name is Charles Isa," he used the traditional Wutain introduction, so obviously he was close to his heritage, she thought, "I was wondering if you said something to Benjamin and Cloud."

She smiled a little wider- straight and to the point, another quality he and Cloud shared, though Cloud's terse utterings were more subtle and stitched into his attitude, though she could already tell he'd end up cursing when he was older, she quietly hoped she could steer him away from blandly swearing at someone. "Benjamin yes, Cloud no."

"What did you say?" His eyes were observing her- analyzing her carefully. He was probably raised outside of Wutai, judging by how he was carefully formulating a series of possible responses to whatever she would say.

"Unfortunately, I promised my students I wouldn't give y'all any personal information as long as it wasn't threaten'n." She chuckled as his mouth parted slightly. He may as well been gaping like a fish. "Don't ya worry, they're not gunna sock each other till they see pink." She assured, allowing her speach to flow more freely.

He snorted, and the corner of his lips tugged upwards slightly. Hopefully Cloud wouldn't grow to be just as expressionless. He was quite adorable when he smiled. "I'm more worried they'll try to poke a wolf with a stick."

"Those boys'll know better." She laughed. "Though I'm sure they already tried."

He chuckled, a deep throaty sound and he suddenly look much younger. He was definitely in his late twenties. At least his mid twenties.

"I wouldn't put it past them"

She found herself snorting, a and continuing towards the exit. "Figures. So those boys have a past?"

Isa made a face and nodded, waving to a man who nodded towards them as they passed she recognized as Mayor Lockhart. The mustached man paused in his step and turned, "oh, Miss Merryweather, how was your fist day?" Apparently, he decided to make small talk- which wasn't unusual considering she was recommended by the owner of a brothel, but that was another conversation she was sure to be discussed later.

"Quite productive, I managed to evaluate how much y'all already taught them and can focus on what they'll need work on." That seemed like a sufficient answer, and found it was because the Mayor nodded thoughtfully and glanced towards the mountain.

"That's good? Hopefully Cloud wasn't too much trouble."

Cloud; it was rather humorous how the boy was given so much attention by the townsfolk, even though it was negative attention a wise man once said that hate was an odd way of showing how one cared. "On the contrary he works well with the other students and encouraged them to try their hardest as well. I'd even say he's a natural leader."

There was an odd light in his eyes when her word sunk in and he gave an exaggerated nod. "That's good. Take care, the winter's coming early this year." He cautioned and walked away.

Isa regarded her thoughtfully before commenting; "The Mayor and Cloud have an odd relationship." Continuing as they walked along the dusty sidewalk to her house that was filled with so many boxes suffocated in tape thanks to her daughter she was so reluctant to go home. "They barely talk, but somehow they manage to speak entire novels." He chuckled.

"And here I was thinking he was closer to ya." She snorted, imagining the large man and small child having a telepathic communication with each other for hours and others watching in puzzlement.

"What do you mean?" He cast her a side glance and quirked an eyebrow.

"Well, y'all are so similar I thought ya were his role model. Maybe even his father figure."

He looked away, placing a hand over his mouth as they stopped in front of the two story, wooden structure. Was he...?

"Are ya blushing?" Well it seems an old woman her age could still make a youngster flustered for a moment or two.

"Have a good day Miss Merryweather." He quickly walked away, the faint hue of pink clearly visible on his ears. Snorting to herself she she stepped into her house and sighed at the cardboard towers.

Maybe she should pay a visit to an old friend in the outskirts.

By the time she managed to wrangle the tape off all the boxes and stepped outside it was significantly colder, shivering she snuggled deeper into her knitted sweater (or as her daughter kindly called it a rainbow strobe light) and began walking towards the outer edge of town when a small figure walking on the sidewalk towards her, narrowing her eyes she could make out a dark halo of spikes. "Cloud?"

He looked up, his clear blue eyes wide with recognition as he slowed to a stop. God, that boy must be freezing in those thin clothes. "Miss Merryweather? What are you doing outside?"

"I could ask ya the same, son. Its late out." Somehow she felt like a teenager just caught sneaking out her bedroom window with her friends eagerly urging her on.

"I couldn't sleep." He looked away, towards what she assumed was his house, seeing how there was an open window and a drainage pipe to compensate for his short stature. He looked back to her expectantly, and she couldn't help but grin when she thought of what face he would make when she told him.

"I was going to visit a friend at the whore house." She bit her lip in bemusement when his eyes widened comically and his mouth parted slightly.

" _What_?"


	3. Chapter 3: Whore House

**Ty: Why thank you good sir (or ma'am :/)**

 **Ceilio: Thank you! I'm glad you like the story (I was a little worried about the pacing being too slow) but thank you for your review!**

* * *

Speechless and utterly gobsmacked, Cloud stared up at her with the expression of someone who was... well, an eight year boy who had just discovered his elementary teacher was visiting a brothel in the midst of night. Oh dear, she was such a horrible old woman and she knew it.

"Why?" He finally managed after another long minuet if silence, warily looking towards said building May, who was trying her hardest not to laugh at the situation.

She calmly repeated, "I'm going to visit an old friend."

Cloud shook his head- which crushed her composure because _she_ was supposed to be the one scolding him for being out so late at night- and shoved his hands deep into his pockets. "You know wolves come down sometimes at night." He commented, and she quirked an eyebrow at the comment.

"Would you like to escort me then, son?" His eyes widened again, slouching further- another habit she was hoping he'd grow out of- he sheepishly nodded, allowing her to grasp his small hand and guide him down to the large building half the size of the manor, it's large dark windows letting out dull multicolored lights that were most likely flashing bright past the tinted windows.

Palmer did love her privacy. May glanced down at Cloud, who looked up nervously at the infamous establishment. Hopefully he wouldn't be tempted by the vices Palmer presented to his customers- rather she hoped Palmer behaved herself enough to enlighten Cloud of the silent opinions of the world.

Hopefully instead of dismissing the morals others held he would at least acknowledge them and respect the less accepted customs of others.

in contrast to it's obsolete exterior, the interior Incubus was lined with steel beams on it's walls, mist swirling along the floor and curling around their legs as an eager house cat would, it's glass ceiling reflecting the array of colors and distorting them. A worker in a skimpy bathing suit top and shorts that had so many rips it looked as if it was held together completely by strings.

Cloud's eyes bulged slightly, before he impassively looked upon the woman who embraced her with a squeal, wrapping one glittered arm around her small shoulders and the other holding a tray of alcoholic beverages, titled slightly to accommodate the action.

"You must be Grammy!" She exclaimed, her bright pink glossy lips spread into the widest smile. Taking note of Cloud she giggled and bent down slightly to run her manicured fingers through his hair. "You're adorable, is he one of your little Chocobo's."

"Chocobos'?" Cloud wrinkled his nose, watching her as she straighted herself and placed a hand on her hip. "The fluffy birds?" He added, the slight undertone of curiosity that made May wonder just what the boy was thinking.

"Yes, the birds, now where can I talk to Palmer?" May gave Cloud's hand a reassuring squeeze, thanking the woman as she swung her head- large hoop earrings moving with the motion- towards a black door that had a colorful letters that read ' _step into the dungeon fuck twads_.'

Knocking, she head the sounds of various locks clicking underneath the head pounding music that virbated the steel beams and shook her old bones to the core, stepping into the dark room that she let her shoulders sink when the door closed and she was met with silence.

Palmer glanced up, her luminous hazel eyes widening slightly as a young brunette who wore nothing but paint on her bare flesh gave a small bow and returned to the pale, black haired woman's side. "Well, call me a Chocobo and fuck me sideways, May Merryweather you don't look a day over sex in the city and thirty." She chuckled, her silver glittered eye shadow sparkling in the candle light. "Who's the half pint? Looks like he's got a fish up his ass."

Cloud's mouth snapped shut as he retorted; "I was wondering weather you used fuzzy pink handcuffs or not."

Holding back a snort, May shook her head- already she could tell this boy's sense of humor was warped, all sass, attitude and spunk. He would grow to be quite the young man in the future.

Smirking, she reached for something obscured behind the bed a nude woman laid herself upon, the cool, acrylic colors splayed out upon her skin; spinning the mentioned object around on a long finger she purred; "usually we use them with the training thongs, but if you're into that half pint I might let you play for a while." She winked, grinning in satisfaction when Cloud looked away with reddened cheeks.

"Now, now, leave him alone Palmer, he's still taking this all in." May urged, sending the woman a small smile that ruined the effect of her stern glare. "I wanted to talk to you."

Rolling her eyes she resumed painting on her employee, who shivered when the brush brushed her naval. "It's better he knows all this now then get his happy stick in the wrong hole- say pipsqueak, can you cook?"

While he looked at her utterly confused, Cloud slowly shook his head

She balked, standing from the stool where she sat and tossing her brush aside. "A man who can not cook, must clean after he shits; Jessie, could you take him to Kai, she'll help the midget out." Now at her full height, she easily towered over all in the room and assumed an air of command.

Jessie silently left, taking Cloud's hand after giving a small bow and leading him through another door with an ungodly amount of locks on it.

"Ya recommended me?" May sat on a chair she hoped was clean from whatever form of pleasure Palmer last performed on it, and observed as the woman made a gesture to the human canvas who pouted as she slipped into her clothes and followed Jessie.

"Yeah, you didn't have any uncontrollable bowel movements when he called, right Grammy?" Sitting herself down in a leather chair that swayed on its rotating stand slightly when she propped her neon green heels onto the black desk that held small stacks of books Palmer's that had her eccentric imaginings in.

"Don't worry about the little shitling, he'll be just fine with Jessie. Poor girl. Tech nerd stuck in Corneo's human trafficking trade." She clicked her tongue and procured a small cube with various colors.

"Unfortunate." May nodded in agreement, allowing a comfortable silence to settle between them. "How have ya been?"

She laughed, running a hand through her short black hair, tossimng the cube into a pile of abandoned dolls, painted on and disfigured. 'Other than fucking up shit, and surrounding myself with lovely woman I ain't doing anything too new." She admitted. "Isa tells me that they're might be some mako drugs that some rich fucker is gonna pull out of his ass because of Shinra." She sighed.

May frowned, shaking her head. Hopefully small towns could remain untouched- the neo-city however..."Many lives will be changed drastically." She solemnly noted, glancing over to the wall of a painting of a naked winged woman with platinum blonde hair being supported by skeletal figures that caressed her lovingly, while a strange bird overlooked the scene occurring on the watery rock bed.

"Yeah, some of my girls are worried about their girlfriends." Palmer stood again, strode over to her and dropped one of her sketchbooks onto her lap. "His name is Cloud... Right?"

Skimming the various drawings she paused when she found the youngling drawn onto the page in wild pencil stroke and colored in with powdered pencil. It _was_ Cloud, but a slightly older one, his half lidded blue eyes staring heatedly into black soulless one's, his hair a shade paler and large snow crystals drawn onto his skin as if it were a part of him, pink lips brushing the dark cracked ones of what could only be described as death itself.

She observed that it ended just at his torso, just below where the muscular pale arm of death wrapped around his abdomen where the faintest contours of developing muscles. Cloud's arm rested on top of Death's, his other parallel to his side and slender fingers interlocking with taloned ones.

It was...almost hauntingly beautiful to look at.

"Where did ya get the idea for this?" She inquired, slightly breathless by the image before her.

"They call him the Ice Prince." She shrugged, twirling a strand that curved behind her ear. "I think it's fucking hilarious, cause that has to be the warmest fucker I ever met." She laughed, flipping a few pages. "That kid's gonna be a beautiful fucking nightmare when he grows up."

A beautiful nightmare... What an accurate description.

"Ya may be more right than ya think." She chuckled, looking down to study the new drawing before her. It was Cloud again, though much older, holding a single white flower in his palm and his lips hovering over it, around it swirled small orbs of light that eagerly flocked to his hands, a larger set covering his eyes as he sat amongst the snow and black rocks with only a decorative snowflake markings on his skin being the only thing he wore.

"His step-sperm donator comes here often." She commented offhandedly, fiddling with her black corset. "His ma isn't 'around', around, if ya can ride my drift."

Frowning she set down the sketchbook, and leaned back on the chair she sat in. "They're drifting?" That was disheartening, no wonder he was distant towards other. But she new she could trust Palmer to know her information- she probably already knew more about Cloud than he knew about himself, once that woman became interested in something it became almost an unhealthy obsession.

A burning desire to fish every detail out of every source and when she was done she would step back and admire her work, then move onto the next project with the same passion.

"Has been ever since his real pa left, charming twat. Had his eyes." She smiled, twirling silver necklace on her finger. "I talked to him just before he left, ya know? He really didn't want to leave, but for some reason he just had to." She sighed wistfully. "It was a tragic kind of young hormone induced passionate romance."

Cloud must've been young when his father left- otherwise she would've seen signs of abandonment in his behavior. "So she's young?"

"Horribly." Palmer grinned. "I ain't into stretch marks, but she sure was a looker after he was born." Then she scowled and snarled; "that fucker she remarried wasn't a bad sucker at first, but then he got bitter, drunk every night..." Her nostrils flared in anger, "he hurt Cloudy once."

May waited quietly as the woman's nails raked up and down her steel wall with spite. Palmer knew Cloud in a peculiar way. Knew his life. Emphasized with him. Understood his pain from her long history of abusive relationships. In a way Cloud was one of her children. As was Jessie, and every other employee under her care.

She may even harbor more love than her mother ever did. "Should we go check on him?" At least now she understood why Cloud had insomnia- while he most likely had no clue his step father had ever hurt him, his subconscious was reminding him that he was no longer safe there.

"Sure thing hot momma." She wiggled her eyebrows humorously, leading the way to the now unlocked door and stepping into a kitchen like area where Cloud sat in front of an oven and peered through the dark glass.

"It won't be done till five more minuets." Jessie teased softly, leading him back to the counter where three other girls lapped up the left over batter of whatever they were baking.

"But I want it to come out good." He protested, looking back to the oven anxiously.

"Don't worry Cloudy, it'll come out just fine." A strawberry blonde giggled, licking her spoon that had a helpful of batter on it.

"What kind of meth are y'all cooking?" Palmer asked, leaning slightly to gaze into the oven. "Cookies?"

"Pancakes." The woman who Palmer had painted lush green hills on answered.

May blinked. "In an oven?"

"In an oven." Cloud affirmed, licking batter off a spoon that was offered to him.

Well he seemed right at home as the woman she could assume was Kai judging how she had been the only one to cover herself with an apron offered him some chocolate chips while another began working her fingers through his untamed hair.

She was amazed- in the long hour he left he had managed to befriend these ladies and come to a silent understanding with each other. While she was curious how they were brought closer, it wasn't her business to pry.

"Just don't make my house go boom." Palmer snickered, ruffling his hair and smiling down at him affectionately,

"Sure thing sugar mama." He grinned watching as Palmer's eyes widened and glowed brighter as a pink hue dusted her ears.

Palmer shook her head, flicking his forehead. "Aye, nice one little shitling, brownie point for you." She walked over to the over, pulling out an oven mitt and placed the bronze cakes onto the table as the steam wafted up to tickle her nose. With a mischievous grin Cloud quickly scooped one off the pan and scarfed it down, licking the corner of his lip where a little chocolate had smeared. "Oi! Wait like everyone else!"

"Did you put crack in this?" One girl asked, deadly serious as she chewed on her second pancake happily. May couldn't deny that the pancakes were delicious, despite the unconventional method that was used to cook them, she watched as Cloud puckered his lips and tease that they may or may not have. May chuckled to herself quietly.

It was as if they were already one big happy family.

* * *

Palmer- despite her quirky nature- was a child at heart, Cloud soon discovered, staying his hardest to sit like an inanimate object as Palmer trailed the cold tip of the brush along his pale flash and painted whatever imagining she desired upon it. "What do you think of my girls?" Palmer quired offhandedly, spreading silver paint along the side of his neck.

He paused, tilting his head slightly. He didn't quite understand what they had told them and he had been completely honest when he said he didn't care when they finished, because it simply didn't matter. "They're nice."

Smirking, as if she was reading into his very thoughts she continued; "What do you think of me?"

There was a lot he could say about Palmer- how she was a walking contradictory of statements and claims that moves in a cycle of desiring to be alone and having the girls lock the doors, then feeling claustrophobic until the girls were asked to lock the doors again. The only thing that was a constant was her artwork that she pursued with such fervent obsession that it even made Cloud wary of her ambitions. "You're different." Was all he could say.

After their pancakes Palmer had the three of them- Miss Merryweather, Palmer and he into her office while the other girls finished closing the brothel. "I am Cloudy. You're different too ya know."

He snorted bitterly. "Yeah, everyone makes that pretty clear." He was the weakest- he couldn't even stand up for hi mother, let alone keep Tifa from falling off the bridge. He was

"Strong."

He almost reeled away from her- as if he was burned he hissed; '"No, I'm-""

"Warm."

 _Ice Prince._

"Caring."

 _Demon_.

"Kind."

 _Girly._

"Cloudy." Palmer, cradled his hand as if her were a small shard of ice that could break under the smallest of stress. "You're different, because you're better." With her other hand she set down her brush and guided him to her large mirror, and a lump formed in his throat that made him unable to speak.

"I'm..." He stared back at the blue eyes boy who met his gaze- it was him, he realized, though there were dark blends that made his cheekbones more prominent, and his chin more angular- while he did look older, nearly masculine, his large eyes and long eye lashes made him look feminine, doe-eyed.

A pattern of snowflakes drawn onto his skin made him look as if he really were an ice demon. His hair- it still stubbornly sat on his head, but the long strand at the bottom fell and curved outward on his neck. It was different.

He didn't understand it.

He didn't understand at all.

Cloud blinked, sitting up as he registered that he was in his room, underneath his covers. He wondered if visiting the brothel had just been something he dreamed- then he should seriously check online to see if there was something wrong if he was dreaming about making chocolate chip pancakes in an oven; prusing his lips, he carefully plucked a folded piece of paper off his bedside dresser and sighed in relief as he did so.

 _Jail Bait,_

 _Next time you come over for oven shit cakes and chocolate milk, don't fall asleep with your thumb in your mouth on my lap._

 _-P_

Wrinkling his nose he tore the note and shoved it into the bottom of his trash bin, wondering what Jail Bait was he made a mental note to search that up on a computer when he had the chance. Dragging his feet, he shuffled towards his bathroom.

There was no trace of paint left- no evidence that it had ever been there. He ran his hand along his face- it was still round, girlish, moving to poke at his cheeks they were still the kind he heard aunts liked to pull when they'd visit. He paused. Did he even have an aunt?

Dressing himself, he jumped out his window and blinked down at quickly browning grass that had been a vibrant green the other day. Autumn must finally be taking effect, he mused as he looked up to see Benjamin and Tifa quietly standing on the sidewalk, looking at him grimly. "Hey...guys." He greeted hesitantly.

"Cloud, are you okay!?" Benjamin exclaimed, frowning at him worriedly.

"Yeah...what's going on?" They had played together on the mountain- even though Benjamin had declared him a 'big softie' for showing him where the most snow hares could be found, but in Cloud's defense the juvenile rodent had snuggled up to him first.

"You don't know?" Tifa frowned, playing with her hands absently.

"No." _Please don't forwn. You're beautiful when you smile._

"Tifa!" One of her threesome called, the other two glancing at each other curiously.

Hesitantly, Tifa turned. _Please don't leave, I'm sorry._ "I'll... See you guys later. Bye Cloud, bye Benjamin." She glanced at him with her dark red eyes before quickly running off,

"Cloud, how can you not know- the entire town knows!" Benjamin waved his arms frantically, beginning to lead the way to school.

Resisting the urge to remind him that one one had told him yet he stayed silent, watching as Benjamin gave him a few solemn glances.

"Your dad was killed this morning." He finally explained. "The sheriff tried to bring you in for questioning, but the deputy wouldn't let him."

Cloud froze. He was what? "Dead?"

"Are you okay?" He asked again.

"Its not like we were close or anything." Running his hand through his hair he bit his lip in thought. They weren't- in fact he had trouble imagining when they were ever in the same room together. Though sometimes he thought he saw glimpses of his enraged expression, but it had only been a thought, but...

"Oh..." Benjamin stepped aside, and pulled the door open for him. "Well, okay. Do you want to hang out this afternoon? We can watch movies at my house if you don't feel like playing inside." He offered.

Another persons...house? "Uh...okay."

"Cool!" He beamed, walking side by side with him into the class where MIss Merryweather fiddled with a record player.

"Now, now class, mosey on to your desk." She urged, the soft melody of a saxophones' reaching his ears and warming him with familiarity. His mother smiling and laughing as she sat next to a worn and dented CD player, a tall man with long wild blonde spikes atop his head in a golden crown smiling down at her and kissing her affectionately before bouncing over to him and lifting him up. Was that his...

Shaking his head he tried to absorb himself in timetables- because that was the only thing that made sense anymore.


	4. Chapter 4: Birthday House

"Happy birthday!"

Staring down at the ornate icing on the cupcake, then back up at his class that surrounded him with grinning faces he looked down at the cupcake, his class, then back at the cupcake, the his class, and again at the cupcake. "Uh...what?" Whose birthday was it?

His mouth fell open when the other's expressions became one of disbelief- it was August nineteenth, according to his birth certificate Isa had let him look at a few month's ago when he had small inquires about his father (and his lack of reaction when he found that only his mother's name was recorded) it was the day he was born. Seeing how he forgotten again he felt warmth spreading to his cheeks as he fidgeted under their gazes. "Oh...thanks guys...really you didn't have to."

"Of course we had to!" Benjamin protested, playfully punching his arm from where he stood at Cloud's side. "It's your birthday, silly."

"But what's so important about that?" It was no big deal after all, it was nine years ago he was born to a woman who was entranced by the woes of young love and wild life.

"Because it just is!" Jeffrey huffed, placing his hands onto his hips and stared sternly up at Cloud who met his gaze with the same challenging intensity.

"Cloud," Miss Merryweather started, placing a small candle into the icing. "Birthdays were originally created to ward off evil spirits, people that change brought evil spirits around them, so noise makers were to scare them away- candles have the same purpose, but more so to acknowledge their gods and send a message to them."

"Send a message?" Cloud repeated, observing the number nine candle as it was lit. How could a blue stick of wax signal a being of higher power.

"Like a wish, or a prayer." She continued, giving his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "So make a wish."

He stared down at the candle biting his lip. It hardly seemed Luke the time for celebrating- his father dying earlier in the morning he was sure his ocasional hunting company would be making an ode to memorialize his death already. Had he ever celebrated a birthday before? _"Hey Cloudy- grow big and strong so you can protect them okay?"_ The man with clear blue eyes laughed, grinning widely. " _Of course you don't have to...but I don't want you to let your mother cry when I'm gone._ " Their foreheads bumped together. " _Okay_?"

"Cloud?" Miss Merryweather called, looking concerned. "Do you know your wish?"

Taking a deep breath he nodded, glowering down at the cupcake before him as if he could make the melting candle in it's center be incinerated in a blazing inferno of fire. Blowing with all his might he watched in satisfaction as the small fire flickered out- he had to grow strong for them...so he couokd protect them. He could do it. He would do it. Even if he had to sell his soul to the devil himself.

The class exploded into applause, though cut short by the bell a few other students lingered around to congratulate him- and he felt so fucking good. If he could he would grow wings and fly... He'd show them what it was like to fly too... "So, bunny snuggling, or movie night?" Benjamin grinned, a slight skip in his step as they stepped into the hallway.

"You babies going home to play with your dolls?" A familiar- almost nasal voice chortled from behind him and Cloud snapped his head back to glare at Brian- the Sheriff's son who had been getting special treatment ever since he was a child despite being a nuisance. _He's just being a boy_ , most would say. Unlike his father, Brian was naturally big-boned , with dusty brown hair and a year older he was the bane of Cloud's existence and the instigator of almost all his fights.

"Didn't you hear Brian?" He began snappily. "We're going to wrestle dragons. You can come along if you don't piss your pants." He forced the last part out with a snarl.

"Buzz off Brian! It's not cool!" Benjamin declared, balling his fist that trembled with anticipation.

"Whatever wusses, when you get some real balls come find me." He challenged beginning to walk away.

"That's funny, I didn't think you had any." Cloud snarled, smug when Brian turned to look at him enraged. "You must be pretty stupid to now about puberty Brian."

"Puberty?" A bystander inquired.

"What the heck is that?"

It's not like Cloud knew much about the topic itself, but thanks to his vague searches on the internet he had a pretty vague idea of what it was.

"Why you-" suddenly black filled his vision and Cloud felt his enthusiasm drop when no one other than Deputy Is a Charles sent Brian a chilling glare that would make Shiva herself shudder- then shrank back when he received a very similar glare, "Boys." He began in his usual even tone. "I hope you aren't starting fights on school premises." The stocky Wutain quickly scattered the crowd gathering and Brian was quick to back off and smile.

"Of course not Deputy Isa, we were just having a friendly chat, that's all." He smiled sweetly, though he slightly faltered when Isa's jaw hardened and his muscles twitched under the skin.

"Of course Brain, but I recommend having 'friendly conversation' when school hours are still active." He drawled flatly, silently ushering whatever he could slip into the undertone of his words. Pointedly, he turned to Cloud who resisted the urge to bolt out the door despite knowing Isa would have no trouble catching him and dragging him back to his office by the ear as Brian and his lingering pals that hadn't dashed out of sight when Isa fist arrived left the now empty hallway.

"Cloud, I already talked to you more than enough times about fights," he began, like he did most lectures.

"But-" Benjamin began to protest but was quickly silenced by the Deputy's stern glare.

"That goes to you too Benjamin Walker, both parties are guilty in whatever ridiculous fights that go on, no exceptions." He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "This isn't how I wanted to say happy birthday." He muttered.

 _Was he disappointed_? Swallowing his pride, he exclaimed ; "I'm sorry!"

Isa reeled back, staring down at him with wide eyes and his mouth agape slightly. Glaring down at his shoes Cloud couldn't blame him- he never apologized, because that ment admitting he was wrong. Admitting he was actually just as pathetic as people thought of him. Slowly he smiled, ruffling his hair affectionately, the same way the girls had the other night. It was comforting. "I'm... Really proud of you." He confessed.

Cloud couldn't help but smile back- Isa had never said that befor Ie, no one had ever said that before. Maybe this is what actual birthdays were like. If they were, he'd ask to celebrate his more often. Maybe he could try something for Tifa's birthday next year as well. Maybe a gift... Maybe Isa would like a new toolbox. But maybe when he actually could get the Gil for such gifts...

"If you boys don't have anything planned, I'd like to talk to Cloud in my office for a minuet, you're welcome to come along Benjamin." He offered- and for once he wasn't going to the police station for another fight, or a lecture. Just a pat on the back and small talk.

"No thanks, Mister Charles, see you later Cloud!" He waved, running down the sidewall to where he lives.

"How was school?" Isa scratched his cheek after they walked side by side in a moment of silence.

"Pretty cool. Everyone's pretty nice." Cloud replied, steping into the large white building that was mostly empty besides the security guard drooling over his keyboard in a daydream. "We talk about some pretty cool stuff."

He made a grunt of acknowledgment, stepping into the open office space that was organized and free of clutter despite Cloud's beliefs that Isa had some obsessive disorder with order, Isa argued that there was nothing wrong with wanting to be in a clean environment.

Usually he'd agree, because he'd never let his room past a certain point of clothes vomit and preferred 'organized mayhem', but the duplicity and color coded tape markings Isa revered was taking 'clean' to an entirely different level of absurdities. "I'm gonna introduce this place to a baseball bat...once I get one." Cloud muttered, sitting himself down on one of the two cardboard cushioned chairs that made his backside hurt whenever he sat in the devil contraptions for too long.

Maybe he could just stop fights by making Brain sit in these things.

"Like I would ever let you." Isa rolled his brown eyes, picking up a box covered in decorative wrapping paper. 'Here."

"You didn't actually buy me a dress did you? I was joking when I said that." Cloud grinned eagerly as he took the box and shook it- listening to it's contents rattle.

"No, it's the underpants gloves you'd thought I'd look nice in." He drawled sarcastically, plucking and envelope off his desk he passed it to Cloud. "Here, you can open this first. Wrapping paper might be too stressful for you."

Sticking his tongue out at Isa, Cloud untucked the fold and pulled out the card running his fingers over the black brid lowering it's small beak upon to the petal of a pink tree, strange characters written down on the sandy parchment. "Wow...what does it say?" He peered a little closer at the odd letters. They looked hand written...

"Experience the beauties of nature, and in doing so learn about yourself." He explained. "It's Wutain."

Cloud set down the card carefully, looking up to observe Isa carefully. He never talked about Wutai- never spoke the language, never wrote the language... So why, suddenly now... "Thank you." He said, putting all the emotion he could into his voice. "Really, thank you."

Scratching his cheek he glanced away for a moment. "You're welcome."

Tearing away the wrapping paper, and staring down at the box that the black tool box was inside of, as well as a chain necklace with an wolf- it's silver lips curled around a ring and small metal eyes staring up at him. "What's this?" He fingered the cold jewelry, eyesing the matching ring that went with it.

"It's... From your father." He admitted. "It's part if his family crest. Your family crest." He sighed, sitting across from Cloud and continuing; "It means perseverance in effort- or it did at least. Crest no longer hold any significance."

Running his finger over the ring he knew his fingers were too small for he nodded, placing it aside with the letter. Focusing on the toolbox he unceremoniously opened to study the tools neatly place inside he looked back up at Isa hopefully. "Does this mean you're teaching me how to fix cars and stuff?"

"Yes, but remember, being able to tinker with machinery is a privilege, one that shouldn't be abused. Understand?" He gave another stern look and Cloud had a suspicion that'd he'd b hearing similar lectures in the future. "Also, Palmer wants to celebrate your birthday later, so I'll take you there later." He grimaced at the mention of the name.

"You guys don't like each other?" Cloud blinked, watching as Isa scratched his cheek once more and nodded curtly. "Why?"

"She..." He took a deep breath before shaking his head. "Makes quite a mess." He finished.

...

"Stop laughing! Its not that funny, Cloud!"

* * *

Palmer stared down at the glass bowl meeting the glossy black eyes of the beta fish inside, memorizing the outline of it's scales, the small gap wherewhere it's gills sucked and released air from it's dark maroon and indigo hue, Palmer's bright hazel eyes fell onto Clara's who puckered her lips in the usual pout that secretly had no effect on Palmer. She had lost the ability to feel such things as pity and empathy long ago.

"There's a fish in my office." She started flatly. "Clara, please tell me why you felt the need to put a fish in my office?" Normally, she would joke, swear, or whatever she could to not make her girls feel like they were being scolded but...

There was a fish in her office.

"Well, I thought Kai could make something with it, but then she told me to take it here." Clara explained innocently. "She said you're not supposed to cook Siamese Fighting Fish, but she doesn't look like a fighter."

She supposed this was where she made a joke about blondes, or indigestion, but she settled on reminding herself Clara never had any formal education and had only learned to fluently read and write half a year ago. Then she wondered what an aquarium pet would taste like. "Tell Kai to cook it or I'll roast it myself." Palmer grinned, wondering what the fish would look like if it could fly in the clouds.

Cloud.

Laughing to herself, she quickly shooed the thought of a spikey haired fish swimming through the ocean away and instead focused on what a 'MerCloud' would look like. Nibbling on her nail she poked at the ring of water the bowl left on her desk and shaping it into an abstract flower; she fished- ha! Fished!- for her camera and snapped a picture of the image.

She had never been good with animals- not since her step father took the liberty if beating their small pup with a bamboo stick until it bit him and ran away. Ever since then, it had always felt...wrong to be around animals. May said some psychological bull crap about being worried about hurting an animal because of some twisted part of herself that saw similarities between her and that bastard but...she shuddered, shaking her head furiously.

Chocolate- that was what she needed, good old fashioned chocolate. Unlocking her door- she couldn't decide weather oshe should buy more locks or take a few away- she was met by the stern glare of Ms Chef who had her hands placed firmly on her hips. "You can not fry or roast aquatic pets."

"Why not?" What was the problem with it- it wasn't as if she could get sick. Mako exposure saw to that.

"Because they're for viewing pleasure, not your stomach pleasures." She snorted, but she still had that light of respect in her eyes because she had told Palmer before that she knew her employer was one of the most intellectual individuals on the planet. She could've laughed to herself at the mere thought.

Take that hard ass Isa.

Shame her funds would go down a small portion die to the death's of one of her regulars- but it wasn't a terrible loss. The death of blue nuggets was probably one of the least interesting tidbits of information circling the town- rather how she had recently discovered some interesting dirt on the Sheriff.

Isa would be all over it if he ever got wind if what she knew.

Or maybe he'd be all over her.

"Miss Palmer?" Jessie's soft voice lulled Palmer from her thoughts enough for her to realize that the bottle of chocolate syrup she was pulling out of the cabinets had exploded in her hands. Sneering she threw the bottle down and Kai was quick to pull Jessie aside to begin explaining the relationship between her and Deputy Isa one of her oldest employees, Kai truly was the only one that could tolerate her bullshit at it's worse.

Isa Charles was one of those worst.

She was caught between the impulse to pull the man away from fretting over Cloud's mother- who was already too far gone, in her opinion- and kiss him passionately until he thought of only her, and breaking every single bone in his body with her fist. Unfortunately, she - and through a series of methodical explanations, empathized with the refusal of marriage he made due to the beginning of the war, since it had taken her some time to find the reason people 'loved', but she couldn't decide how she felt about the man.

He had a nice office- but it was too clean, orderly, and suffocating, but her step father would've appraised the small, neat space. Somehow, Palmer knew Isa shared her 'daddy issues'- his own father had neglected to stay after discovering his mother's pregnancy, and his Wutain mother was disowned from her family for her 'dishonorable' actions.

Snorting she nibbled on her nail, finishing off the last lock to her door and moved to her sketchbook. Isa- despite admitting that he liked the attention Palmer gave him, was determined to 'help' Cloud and his mother due to whatever promise they made that day when she met the man.

She hated that woman.

She was beautiful- undeniably beautiful, kindhearted and a well rounded person, but she hated that woman to the point of wanting to strangle her. A pencil outline of Isa sat cross legged, his hair slightly longer and in a formal kimono robes in a Wutain inspired house- she knew there was something...strange... With their relationship.

The odd, sensitive moments they shared between extreme disdain were... Enlightening.

Chuckling (to herself at the thought of Grammy frowning at the use of such words) she flipped a few more pages and smiled down at the one she had managed to convince Isa to model stripped down to the waist. He had endearingly blushed, but quickly retained his usual stoicism that irked Palmer to no end.

She hoped Cloud would never become that aloof. He was fucking adorable when he smiled.

He would certainly grow to be a gorgeous monster of a man, but she hoped he would have a small sensitive side reserved for those special moments she wanted him to experience. "Sugar momma, the birthday boy is here." Margret called from the other side of the locked door.

Jumping up, she grinned, grabbing a lingerie magazine for the baby boy and promptly unlocking the door and stepping out to see Cloud listening to Clara who was retelling the odyssey that poor fish had taken before it made it's way here. "Oi! No treats for the birthday midget yet- shitty fish stories or not!"

"Hey sugar momma." He greeted, lifting his hands in a motionless wave, a small smile playing on his lips.

Beside him, Isa wordlessly folded his arms over his muscular chest and raised an eyebrow.

"Isa my love! You stopped foreplay with your office chair long enough to come and visit me!?"Palmer grinned, throwing her arms around his neck and ignoring the glare he gave her. _See Isa? I'm being a good girl for today. Not even you can take away this smile._

"Foreplay?" Cloud blinked in confusion- which was so fucking cute.

Isa coughed, pushing Palmer off him, he turned to Cloud. "Nothing you need to concern yourself with."

Merely raising a blonde eyebrow, Palmer knew that Cloud was silently telling him he was just going to look on the internet whenever he got the chance.

May simply laughed, and shook her head. "Figures, so Palmer, what do ya have planned?"

Clapping her hands together- oops, looks like she forgot about that magazine- she eagerly replied; "cake, sugar induced commas, pin the tail on the hard ass-" She inwardly cheered when Cloud barked out a laugh and Isa sent her a glare, "more cake, and then lessons."

"Lessons?" Cloud cocked- haha- his head to the side questioningly.

"Martial arts lessons of course!" She waved her magazine around for emphasis.

"And it just aso happens to require a dirty magazine?" Grammy smiled, her eyebrow raised teasingly. Oh Grammy, you still got it.

"Of course sexy momma, every pornographic magazine is vital when learning." She wiggled a finger playfully, watching with satisfaction when Isa slapped a hand to his face.

She'd rather have those hands on her.

Damn.

"Palmer?" Cloud watched her worriedly with his wide blue eyes, "is...something wrong?"

Looking down, she realized that the magazine was completely crushed in her hand. "I...need a moment." As fats as her enhanced speed would allow her she flung the heavy door opened and slammed it shut, glowering down at her tremulous hands. _Stop shaking. You don't need a man._

But she wanted Isa.

"Palmer. Open the door." Said demon's voice called wity it's full authority.

"Go fuck your office pens." She snapped, sticking her tongue out even though he was on the other side of the thick wood.

"Palmer." He repeated. "Open the door." A pause. "I told Cloud I would make sure you're alright."

Damn. How could she ever argue with that?

Reluctantly, she opened the door and allowed the Wutain to step in, leaning back against her desk he watched as he wrinkled his nose at whatever he disapproved of in her room. "It smells like.." He started, but quickly trailed off and turned to face her. "Pull yourself together. This is supposed to be a happy occasion and if you can be there Cloud will worry."

Damn. He was really monopolizing her affections for the half-pint sweetheart.

Wincing, she dug her nails into the wood, craving a helping of chocolate more than ever. "I...hate you."

He smiled- _don't smile at me-_ his gaze softening slightly. "I know."

Quietly they walked into the kitchen, where Cloud- the little bastard- was licking up her chocolate syrup like a cat. "So," he started. "You guys try out the fuzzy handcuffs, or are you saving them for the honeymoon?"

Exploding into a fit of laughter, Palmer thought she heard Isa say; "...not letting you hang around those guys at the station anymore."


	5. Chapter 5: Father's Day Interlude

06/21/2015 I started typing this on fathers day (currently today) and realized that I couldn't post it then because I didn't post chapter 4 yet, and just cursed my stupidity.

Anyways happy, very late, late father's day.

* * *

Cloud groaned, feeling a small weight continuously pelting his forehead and opened his eyes to stare at a beady eyed creature with a long pink tail slapping down on his face. Rolling his eyes he grabbed the possum by the tail and watched as it played dead. "Thanks pal, I always wanted to wake up with a face full of possum ass." He drawled to no one in particular.

"Cloud!" Clara stumbled upstairs, her hair wet and draped over her shoulder. "Thank god you found it!" She walled right up to the possum and took into her arms, cooing to it as a mother would a child.

"Clara. Why is there a possum upstairs?" He was almost afraid to ask, but since Clara occasionally provided clear answers, hopefully this would be one of those times.

"I found the poor guy outside, he looked like he was freezing." She pouted, the possum nuzzling her finger lovingly.

"Clara." He felt his eyebrow twich. "You don't bring animals inside because they live to freeze their asses off outside."

"But there was a fox after it!" She protested.

Cloud blinked. "There are no foxes in Nibelheim."

"No I definitely saw a fox." She declared, scratching the possum's belly. "Orange fur, white tail and big ears."

That definitely sounded like a fox. "You know what, after I eat breakfast, use the computer and take a shower, I'll go outside- look for this fox and make sure the possum can go somewhere the fox won't get it." He promised.

"Yay! Thank you Cloud!" She bent down, smothering Cloud's face with a mixture of breasts and fur and walking back downstairs.

Sighing Cloud made his way to the bathroom before going down to the kitchen where Palmer sat wearing only lingerie covered him chocolate as she licked her fingers and Kai beat egss in a bowl furiously. "Why are you covered in chocolate?"

"Because Isa's only weakness is chocolate." She grinned as if that explained everything.

"And you're going to approach Isa as a giant turd because...?" Cloud stared in dismay at all the empty bottles of chocolate syrup that was soon drying on Palmer's skin.

"Because its fathers' day." She hummed thoughtfully, the syrup around her mouth cracking.

"What's that?" Cloud frowned, crossing his arms over his chest.

"The holiday when People show appreciation towards their fathers. " Miss Merryweather chuckled, closing the kitchen door behind her and openly blinking at Palmer. "'Why are ya... covered in chocolate?"

"Something to do with Isa." Cloud humed, and Miss Merryweather's eyes twinkled in bemusement.

"Figures." She snorted, turning to Kai. "What are you making?"

"Breakfast." She grunted, pouring the eggs yellows into a pan. "After Palmer's done acting like an idiot."

"So I have to wait for Isa to fuzzy handcuff her before I get any food?" Cloud groaned. "I'll go get him." No one separated him from his bacon. No one.

Ignoring the looks he was getting for walking around in his Chocobo print pajamas (a lovely gag gift Jessie gave him) he stormed right up to Isa's front door and banged his fist on it. "Isa! Hurry up! You're keeping me from my bacon! Me want greasy bacon!"

The door swung open and the bare chested Wutain glared down at him as he ran a hand through his shoulder length hair. "Cloud. Its my day off. I'd like to sleep in for once."

"Yeah that's great, hurry up and stop Palmer from making chocolate extinct- I don't get any bacon until you do." The blonde grumbled, resisting the urge to laugh when Isa's entire demeanor changed at the mention of chocolate.

"She's doing what?" He honestly sounded curious.

"Something about fathers day and a fox-"

"You've seen it!" Isa's eyes widened and he spun on his heel, walking to god knows wear. "I swear I'll butcher that little..." He returned, dressed and with a collar grinding his teeth together.

"So there is a fox."

"Yes, I was taking care of it for the weekend because a friend asked me to, but it managed to take off it's collar and run off." He frowned, cautiously looking around as he presumable searched for said fox.

"Who the hell keeps a fox?"

Isa sent him a warning glare before replying; "my friend."

"Will I ever get to meet him?"

"I hope not."

"But you two are close?"

"You could say that."

"So what does he do?"

"He's... A jack of all trades..." He answered with a grimace.

"Is he older than you?"

"Probably."

"You don't know how old he is?"

"I do."

"Then why won't you tell me?" He whined- and Cloud never prided himself on whining because Isa did exactly what he always did whenever the boy whined; tugged on his ears and topped it off with a pinch of the cheeks.

"Don't whine." He scolded, looking up at the brothel with an expression of mixed emotions. "Where did you see the fox?"

"Clara saw it. I said I'd go looking for it later. After I eat bacon. That you're keeping me from with your old man walk!" He grumbled, pushing open the door and his jaw dropping once he caught sight of what was going on.

"Palmer." Isa started after five minutes of dumbly staring at the woman. "Why are you and a possum covered in chocolate?"

"That's the first thing you asked?" Cloud balked. "Jessie, why is there a fox humping our miniature vacuum cleaner?" Said fox shamelessly chirped as the machine rocked back and forth. "And why is there glitter everywhere?"

Miss Merryweather stepped out of the kitchen with Kai, carrying an impressive number of plates on their arms, froze, and walked right back into the kitchen.

"Is that cake on the ceiling?" Isa noted, tilting his head back to study a blob of chocolate and batter on the ceiling.

"You know what-" Cloud threw this hands up in the air. "I'm going to use the computer. Happy Father's day."

Cloud happily spent the next hour looking at entire novels of code, typing furiously into his computer trying to undo the encryption on whatever the hell Specimen S was.

"Cloud, you aren't hacking are you?" Isa's voice sounded from behind him, and Cloud cursed silently in an effort to stop the system from locking him out. "What did I tell you about hacking?"

"Well I should've waited till mother's day if you're going to hound him about that _Mom_." He heard Palmer joke.

"You know very well that hacking is-"

"Not now _ma_!" He barked, urging his fingers to move faster. "I almost got it!"

There was a squeak of indignation when Isa yelped; " _Cloud_!"

"Well then _Mom_ , guess I'll have to help myself to your chocolate then."

" _Palmer_!"

* * *

Started: 06/21/2015  
Finished: 06/21/2015

06/06/2015: Did you guys nknow there's a street in Tampa called Zack? I started laughing so hard my sister started thinking I was going crazy.


	6. Chapter 6: Tifa's House

Diving forward he slammed his fist into someone's jaw- something hit his leg, and it hurt like hell, but he ignored it in favor of watching the smug look on Brian's face disappear. In an instant he was pushed to the ground, Brain above him and his fist slamming down onto Cloud's jaw as he flailed beneath him- Benjamin, bless his soul, shoved Brian back, hitting his lip when he was elbowed viciously.

Spitting out blood, Cloud was drowned in the cries of the bystanders who either watched in fascination, or panic as they called what he assumed was the police station.

His leg hurt- and god did it hurt- while his jaw throbbed, Brain scrambled back up and readied himself for another attack. While Palmer's lessons were nothing but a glorified ass kicking, he was satisfied to know he could throw a better punch after all the long exercises she put him through.

"That's enough."

Whatever deity sitting up in their palace must be laughing their asses off at his misery right now. Turning, he met the stern glower of Mayor Lockhart, making a gesture the one and only Sheriff pig face lead them away while Deputy Isa Charles folded his arms over his chest and frowned down at Cloud sternly. "Cloud, my office. Now."

"Now boys, you haven't been in any fights for over a year now, what changed?" Mayor Lockhart inquired, stubbornly, Cloud looked away to the water tower and crossed his arms. Like he'd ever tell him.

While he and Mayor Lockhart had no personal issues- though Tifa falling off the bridge seven years ago had been a silent serpent coiled up in a closet- he still couldn't stand to be in the man's presence for long.

Benjamin, with his usual telepathic fourteen year old abilities, followed the code of silence and only looked nervously down at his feet.

"Walker, go home. I'm sure your _parents_ will have their own discussions." Isa's frown deepened and Cloud silently begged Benjamin to stay so he wouldn't be impaled upon a pike by these two if he were to upset them. Well, a metaphorical pike, but he wouldn't put it past them.

"Sorry Cloud."

 _Benjamin you bastard_ , he silently cursed as the boy ran off, leaving Cloud alone with the two raven haired adults that looked down at him in _disappointment_. He despised that word- disappointment- it made him feel unpleasant in a way he couldn't exactly understand why it made him sick with himself.

"Very well, though I want to talk to you later, Cloud." Lockhart left without another word, leaving Cloud alone with Isa who was wordlessly walking to the police station.

Swallowing down his pride, he resisted the urge to hold his head high and follow behind Isa, who occasionally looked back to give him that disappointed look that made Cloud want to curl up into a ball on the second floor of Incubus and never come down.

In a different situation he would've laughed at the reason he locked himself in the rooms the girls shared with him in the brothel- it had been a very uncomfortable conversation that ultimately ended with Cloud wearing a drincidentks to Palmer, and while he hoped the stupid thing suffered when it burned, the incident was...enlightening.

Miss Merryweather would have a field day disproving the use of such vague words.

While Ben turned into a stuttering, blushing mess of hormones, Isa looked as if he had been slapped by Palmer's fish (again), and Miss Merryweather said that exploring femininity would prove to be an educational experience, Cloud doubted giving Benjamin an awkward situation in his pants was very _educational_.

Fortunately for Ben, he recently submitted his paper on Mako last month, so hopefully Shinra's 'top notch scientists' would pull their heads out of their asses and give him an internship for crying out loud.

Sitting down on one of Isa's chairs, Cloud stared indifferently up at the Wutain, despite the fact that if demons were carpenters, they were probably the makers of these stupid chairs. "So, ya gonna ground me _ma_?"

"No." Isa rolled his eyes- originally the nickname was a joke started by Palmer when Isa scolded Cloud for trying to crack into the rest of the encrypted files in Shinra mansion, but much to Isa's frustration, it stuck- sitting down at his desk and typing a few commands into his keyboard.

"Since every printer in town was disconnected by a mysterious party with _my_ laptop-" giving Cloud a glare he continued; "I can't file any official reports for your record, so it'll be written down as 'a minor disturbance of peace'."

"It was an accident." He muttered, wondering how he was supposed to know that Isa's laptop had a connection to the entire town when he was only trying to pull a small prank of the two office printers he kept in his obnoxiously neat office.

"But you did it, none the less." He paused, his lips pressing into a firm line. "I'm sure the Mayor has something to say himself. You sshouldn't keep him waiting."

Groaning, Cloud stubbornly sank deeper into his chair. "Not interested."

"Don't be childish." The Wutain muttered, frowning at his nonfunctional printers. "Try?" He pleaded, looking back to Cloud indifferently.

"Fine." Sulking, he shuffled out the door, sending a glare to the Sheriff who glowered back before stepping into the sidewalk damp from the melted morning dew. Hesitantly, his knuckles knocked on the door and a lump caught in his throat when it was Tifa who opened the door.

"Cloud? Is something wrong?" She asked- finally he was taller than her, even if it was only by a few inches- and she now wore an odd leather ensemble paired with a bowl shaped and buckled hat.

"Cloud, come in."

Unsettled by the knowledge this was where Tifa spent most of her time- where she lived breathed and slept- he stepped through the doorway, careful to avoid any contact with Tifa so he could forget the sickness of guilt her beautiful face brought him.

"You wanted to talk?" He straightened his back, sitting down to where the large black ghaired man had gestured and swore that he would try his damn hardest not to be weak in front of them.

"Yes." He looked towards a photo- his past wife, before she had died- before his gaze shifted back to Cloud. "There is victory in defeat, you know."

Blinking in confusion, he stared silent and looked to Mayor Lockhart for explanation.

"A long time ago- though I'm sure Palmer and Miss Merryweather have told you this- there was a long war, much suffering and many deaths. " He reached back to a box by the recliner he sat on, snapping off the lock and producing a book with a worn black cover. "Many atrocities were lost to history- however, these possessions once belonged to your family."

His...family? Cloud reached for the book that was extended to him, brushing the delicate papers with his thumb, he looked back to the chest. "Did my... Real pa give you those?"

With a curt nod, Mayor Lockhart shut the chest close, and pushed it over towards Cloud who pressed his lips into a firm line.

"Is that all?"

"No." This time, Mayor Lockhart offered a small smile. "I talked to Isa, and we both agreed that you should come along for this winter's hunting trip."

 _The_ hunting trip? The one that every man went on to bring back the largest game for sport? "No fucking way." Shit- he didn't mean to curse, but... Damn.

Not even Brian was allowed to go- the first reason being that a weapon was required to go back on the trip, which required surprisingly strict paperwork for a small town, but that also ment that no one was shot in the foot every morning; the second reason was an unspoken one- for every participant under the age of eighteen had to have a supervisor... Who was usually a father, and since Brian's father was a fat pig (in more ways than one), he couldn't go- taking a deep breath and tightening his hold on the book he attempted to form an appropriate response.

"I'd be honored... Or something like that." Scratching his cheek nervously, he found interest in the dying fire in the fireplace.

Mayor Lockhart's stern glare diminished, chuckling, he replied. "I though so. Best not to keep Palmer waiting."

Nodding, Cloud stood, sending one last look to Tifa who was pouting with her arms folded across her chest- _she must've not been allowed to go too_ , Cloud mused, wooden box cradled in his bruised arms and as an afterthought, wondered where the hell else he had been hit when he hadn't noticed.

"Cloud!" A familiar voice sang, and Cloud bit back a smile as he glowered at the dark haired teenager who stumbled when his gaze fell on him. "Sorry." He laughed sheepishly, and Cloud felt his lips streach into a smile.

"Traitor." He teased. Glancing down, he inquired; "what's with the letter."

"Oh," Ben looked down at the envelope before meeting Cloud's expectant gaze again. "I'll tell ya later, so what with the box?"

"I have to bury a body. They told me I had to do it by nightfall or I wouldn't get to fuck a goat." He deadpanned, shifting the book onto the lid as Benjamin's jaw fell in mortification.

"You're horrible!" He snickered, punching Cloud's arm playfully.

"Awe, don't be like that Benny, you know I wouldn't fuck any goats without my best friend there." He teased.

"Wow Cloud, I feel so honored." Rolling his eyes sarcastically as they approached the brothel- since Benjamin's parents had been initially against the idea of their son going there until Miss Merryweather talked to them- Cloud unlocked the door with the help of Benjamin and was greeted by an abnormally energetic Palmer, who was being watched my Miss Merryweather in bemusement.

"Hello Cloud, do ya have anything in mind for the hunt'n trip?" She asked, taking a sip of her tea and running a hand over her bouncy black hair.

"Whoa, whoa wait!" Benjamin jumped back and spun on his heel to face Cloud. "They're letting you go!?"

"No shit, shitling." Palmer grinned, clapping her hands together, "I can't wait to see the nice rug you'll bring back for me- I think I'll write 'Fucking Conformist' on this one!" She beamed, bouncing again in her ridiculously high heels- at fist he never understood the difference between an inch or two between the ground and your heel, but after Palmer forced him to walk around in small two inch lifts (and fell flat on his face until the girls stopped laughing and taught him how to walk without breaking an ankle) for two weeks he had come to respect the woman's impeccable balance.

"Who said you're getting a rug?" Cloud snorted, "only Miss Merryweather's getting one, and it's gonna say 'One Hot Momma'."

Snorting, she rolled her dark eyes and took another sip of her tea. "Figures."

"I'll get one from Isa then," Palmer beamed, her hazel eyes glowing brighter, "and it'll say 'Bedroom Wreakers'."

"Ew!" Benjamin laughed, masking Cloud's soft chuckle. "Keep it in the bedroom!"

"Ooh, thats a good one!"

"I'll be upstairs." Cloud called, smiling to himself as Miss Merryweather herself joined the banter. Sitting on the bed he shared with Jessie, he snapped open the lock and stared down at the contents of the chest.

An odd shield with the same wolf his ring and necklace had- though his fingers were still too small for the ring- a name in a language he vaguely recalled was ancient Gaian thanks to Miss Merryweather's extra tutoring- setting aside the Crest he stared down at the two worn handguns with papers beneath them, carefully peeling away the papers he saw that it was his weapons registration he carefully picked up one handgun and set into his lap.

It felt...strange.

And he was supposed to carry this. Slowly, he lifted it by the stock, jumping when the empty magazine fell out onto his lap he peered down at the button his index finger was on, and head a soft click whenever he moved it. "That's the magazine port."

"Fuck!" He glared up at Isa who was watching silently, picking up the fallen object he attempted to slide it back into place.

"Here." Isa knew he shouldn't be feeling remorse as he took the miniature shotgun from Cloud- which he made a mental note to himself to add some padding to the butt so the blonde wouldn't dislocate his arm when he fired it- and showed him how to properly equip the magazine (and chuckling to himself when he thought about how his 'brother' would be furious with such poor gun care).

The teenager- who still wasn't aware of just how quickly he was developing muscle, because Isa had been somewhat impressed by the purple mark he left on the Sheriff's son, though Cloud did look worse, sporting a black eye, cracked lips, bruised arms, legs and all- he quickly scolded himself for even thinking about feeling a sense of pride for Cloud's growth, even if he was a moody brat, he was still a smart brat.

May hadn't been completely off the mark about feeling what he could only guess what were fatherly attributes, he still couldn't see himself as one.

"Hey, earth to _ma._ "

He really needed to talk to Palmer about that nickname.

"Are you okay?" Cloud leaned back on his bed- and to any other he would've looked genuinely disinteresteddisinterested as he fiddled with the black book he had occasionally seen Cloud's father shove into an already crammed bookshelf, but Isa could tell he was trulytruly concerned by the way his gaze was wavering from it's usual indifference. "You're usually not this distant."

If Cloud were any younger- or had never been roughly jerked out of his shell by Palmer- he probably would've scoff and mutter 'not interested' and sink back further away, a younger Cloud would've looked upon the girls with annoyance whenever they stuck Chocobo feathers into his hair, or completely disregard Palmer's opinions- though he did burn the dress, Isa would never admit that he was the one to suggest it- just as Isa had been when he was a child.

There was a soft sniffle, and Isa inwardly cursed when he realized that it had came from him.

"Fucking hell..." Cloud's eyes widened and he scratched his cheek- another habit he saw in himself (and it made him question how long Cloud had been doing such)- "you aren't broken are you?"

"No." He scratched his own cheek, biting his lip and phrasing carefully. "I'm...just sad." Xing would've barked his usual laugh and tell him he had gone soft but...

He was sad.

"Uh...why?"

Great, now he was going to sound like some old man. _Leviathan, please have mercy and drown me in a puddle before I say something embarrassing_. "Well...I was thinking of how you've grown into a bright young man..." There, that didn't sound too bad.

Isa quickly had second thoughts when Cloud's eyes widened further and he sat completely still. "Damn..." He sniffled. "Don't say things like that."

Isa blinked dumbly as Cloud began to cry- because Cloud had never cried, no amount of pain and loneliness could make the blonde teary eyed, the last time when Cloud cried was when his father had...

Grinning, he continued:"No seriously old man, don't get all soft on me. You're supposed to be the tough guy, remember?" He looked even more like his father when he smiled like that. Now that Isa thought about it he was sure the man had said something along those lines to a much younger and naive self.

"As if." He grinned back as his younger self did, "this is just a demonstration of how big my manly heart is.

Cloud grinned, quipping; "you know Palmer would kick your ass if she heard you say that?"

Watching in bemusement as Isa's smile shifted into a frown of scolding he gently chided; "stop cursing." Flicking his forehead, Cloud watched as Isa put the oversized handguns into their chest. "The trip starts at nine, so I expect you to be ready by eight. And..." He paused, his expressioning softening. "Dress warm."

"Sure thing ma." Mocking a salute, Cloud snickered as Isa scowled and made his way downstairs.

Leaning back on his bed, Cloud faintly registered the sound of the door opening. "Cloud?"

"I'm fucking my pillow, give me a sec." He rose with a wry grin to look up at Benjamin who stood shyly in the doorway. "What's up?"

In his hands were the letter, and he tentatively sat next to Cloud on the bed. "I wanted to talk to you." Only receiving silence as a response he continued. "I got an internship in the Science and Research department."

"That's great." Cloud nodded, recalling the mako exposure theory he had saw Benjamin fussing over for days (though he had helped chase down the bunnies they had taged for the experiment, he would never take credit despite Ben's arguments) and sweated buckets over. "I told you there was no reason to worry."

"Yeah..." He took a deep breath, playing with the paper. "I...should just say it..." He muttered quietly, butting his nail anxiously.

Raising an eyebrow, he hoped that he wouldn't have to go through another emotional trek as he did with Isa a fee moments ago.

"I...like you."

"Okay." He stretched out the word, waiting for elaboration.

Flushing red Benjamin added softly. "Romantically."

Oh. "Oh." Wow, his speech was _so_ eloquent at the moment. "That all?"

Benjamin's shoulders sunk. "That all?" He shook his head an sighed. "So, I just made a big deal for nothin'?"

Maybe that was too insensitive, so instead Cloud tried; "No, I'm sure Miss Merryweather would say something about self exploration of sexuality, expression and all that..." That wasn't what he wanted to say. "I'm glad you told me."

Thankfully, Ben smiled, looking relieved as he laughed, "I really got worked up for no reason. Thanks Cloud..." He looked away with his cheeks darkening once again.

"You're not going to ask me to wear a dress are you?" He teased, playfully slapping his arm.

His mouth dropped, openings and closing like a fish before he laughed. "So all the dresses can be destroyed in a 'mysterious' fire? No thank you." Shyly, he rested his head on Cloud's shoulder- which required him to slouch slightly due to being slightly taller- allowing the gesture Cloud studied Benjamin carefully, attempting to feel something other than the small comfort he had.

"I...just wanted you to know before I go." He continued. "You don't like me the same way, do you?"

"No. But I'm not completely against it." He answered honestly- in all their years of companionship he had just never thought about Benjamin...like that. There was his 'eloquent' vocabulary again. But this was easier...almost like they were just hugging or something.

"Then... can I kiss you?" Green eyes stared up at him in determination, as Cloud scratched his cheek shyly.

"Why not?" He could hardly understand why Benjamin would be interested I'm him, compared to all the others in their grade that were more romantically appealing- though for an instant he thought he saw himself looking in the mirror, and Palmer behind him. He looked older, and had been painted on too- which was nothing new except his younger self looked...somewhat like he did now.

Hesitant, Benjamin leaned forward, pressing their lips together and Cloud found it wasn't completely bland as he thought it would be. He could faintly taste mint (Benjamin did always carry around those horribly mints), and dully noted that Benjamin's lips were much softer than they looked.

"Ow." Benjamin grinned after their teeth accidentally knocked together.

"You suck." Cloud teased, adding, "don't most people use their tongues anyway?"

"No! I mean yes!" Looking as red as a tomatoe, Benjamin fumed and punched Cloud's arm with a pout.

"No seriously, you should see if you click with anybody in Midgar." Cloud folded his legs underneath him. "Nibelheim's a small place ya know, you should mindfuck the world while you're gone."

"Mindfuckery is more your thing."

Slapping his hands to his cheeks, Cloud feigned a gasp. "You cursed! Benjamin Walker, do you kiss your mother with that mouth?"

Rolling his eyes Benjamin snorted. "Like you're one to talk. Try to keep the swearing in your letters down to a minimum. I want to at least look a little professional."

"Good luck to you Professor Professional." He laughed, giving Benjamin an embrace. "Knock 'em dead, Kay?"

"M'kay." Stealing one last kiss Benjamin left with a wave, leaving Cloud alone to his thoughts.

He hadn't thought much about a relationship- of course there were the occasional thoughts if Tifa- since he was mostly focused on the extra books Miss Merryweather gave him and the exercises Palmer assigned him, but a relationship sounded nice.

Leaning back he thought back to Tifa- she was beautiful as always- and while he hoped that she would notice him more than the walks to and from school he needed to become stronger in order to seize her attention away.

Benjamin was a friend- granted one he may have had intimate conversation and implications with, but he was still a friend.

Shaking his head he smile up at Jessie who was fiddling with one of her newest builds Isa had helped her with. Metal and wires sounded good right now.

At least it made sense.


	7. Chapter 7: Hunting House

Cloud groggily opened his eyes and stared at Jessie's flat stomach. Despite his body's protest he rose from the mattress and soundlessly slipped into the bathroom. Glaring at the hands on the Anniversary clock that spun it's intricate workings flamboyantly and reminded him that it was seven in the morning.

Sighing he stared back at his reflection who frowned at him with his pink lips pressed into a firm line and ran a finger over his jaw that had gradually became more firm over the years- though he still had his tug-a-ble cheeks, at least he was putting on some muscle.

"You done checking yourself out shitling?" Palmer yawned, pushing the door opened and reminding Cloud the woman had no sense of privacy.

"Knock." Cloud grunted, wondering how Isa woke up an hour before at such an ungodly time in the morning.

"Scared I'll catch you wanking it?" She teased, waving around a pair of thick winter clothes. "I know you'll bitch if it's too much, so I had a special order." She snorted, dumping the hanger on the floor.

"Thanks." He grumbled, leaning slightlybto give her a half hearted hug.

"Be safe, and show those old geasers' what a young twat can do." She slapped him on his backside, striding out the door where he could hear the stairs creak under her heels.

Readying himself in a blur he made his way downstairs and nearly toppled over his own feet when his own gaze met that of tired dark blue eyes. "Cloud?"

He pressed by is lips together tightly, feeling the lump in his stomach forming. _Go away, why can't you keep ignoring me?_

Palmer sent a dark look to Isa who gave her a stern glare in return while he stood perfectly stood staring down at the blonde haired woman. "You should go. He obviously doesn't want to-"

"Palmer!" Isa hissed, wrapping his arms around her in an odd hug, and whispering to gher quietly.

"Why..." He swallowed thickly. "Are you here?"

Her eyes fell down to the two guns strapped to Cloud's chest, and she smiled sadly. "You look a lot like him..." She said quietly and Cloud felt his chest constrict. _He would've protected you._ "I just wanted to make sure you were dressed warmly... That's all." She took a step, but she paused, looking back to Cloud one last time before she left.

"Why was she here?" His voice was so soft he barely recognized it as his own.

"She's still your mother." Isa slowly let Palmer out his his grip and turned to Cloud. "I know you blame yourself for what happened, but it doesn't change the fact she's your mother."

"No, she just happens to give birth to me." Cloud laughed bitterly.

Isa's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Cloud." He warned.

"What? Feeling a little bitter because mommy-"

"Cloud!" Isa stormed over him and Cloud's eyes widened a fraction- he wasn't actually going to- throwing his arms around Cloud's shoulders he embraced him tightly. _Why are you hugging me? You should be furious with me._

"I'm not going to hate you." He growled. "I raised you too, remember? I was right fucking there when you took your first steps, and I was standing right by you when you said your first words. If you think I'm going to hate you for saying the truest things in my life you better learn really fucking quick that it's never going to happen." His grip slackened slightly. "You're..like a son to me..." He leaned back fully, his hands resting on Cloud's shoulders. "I could never hate you."

Damn. Everything would be so much easier if everyone stayed away from his because...he felt his shoulders sink in defeat. He wasn't strong enough yet. "I couldn't... do anything."

"Cloudy." Palmer smiled gently, working abhand through his hair affectionately. "You're not supposed to _do_ anything. We're family, that means-"

"We take care of each other." Cloud frowned, scratching his cheek. Didn't that mean he was supposed to _do_ something?

"No it means if we fuck up, or say some serious shit about about out even shitter parents-" Cloud grimaced and looked down at his feet solemnly. "That we'll forgive each other for being shitty family."

That made sense.

"Come on, we'll go up to the moutain to meet up with the others." Isa smiled, clapping Cloud on his back.

"Be careful." Palmer grinned, pecking Isa on the lips.

He blinked- idiotically- while Cloud let out a soft cheer of victory. Finally! The Wutaim chuckled, pushing back a dark strand of Palmers hair. "There's a reason to worry?" He teased, catching Cloud fake a gag out out of the corner of his eye.

"With you two boys, always." She laughed, hands trailing down his arms. "'Bring me back a fur rug, twat."

"Okay, we'll get the wedding gifts- we're gonna be late at this rate!" Cloud teased, sticking out his tongue and holding open the door.

"And he calls me impatient." Isa sighed, hands lingering on Palmer's with a silent promise as he turned to follow Cloud out the door.

"Hurry it up old man, I'd hate to drag you halfway up the mountain just because you threw out your back." Cloud grinned despite himself, causing Isa to roll his eyes.

"Yes, because at my age I'm more likely to throw out my back than be struck by lightning. Of course Cloud, because you're such a reliable medical source with a degree and everything." He drawled sarcastically.

"You're chatty." He noted with a wry grin.

"What are you doing for college?"

 _Shit_.

"Cloud?" Isa sent him a sideways glance. "You know I won't hold it against you if you want to go to Midgar."

"I want to join SOLDIER." Cloud blurted out, flinching as Isa paused mid step and stared at him with his mouth agape.

"Palmer's going to flip shit." He replied bluntly, his eyes narrowing in concern.

"You sound your age."

"I'm serious Cloud." Isa continued. "She'll be furious."

"I know but...I want to be stronger." He admitted.

The walked in silence until they passed by the manor that Isa sent a peculiar glance to, but Cloud bdecided against asking him as Mayor Lockhart and a few other towns persons ahead of them when Lockhart sent him a polite smile. "I'm glad to see you're both here."

"Small party." Isa grunted, retaining his expression of indifference.

"Hey Isa! Let's have our usual competition." A man with a black rifle let out a heart laugh.

"Not interested." The Wutain shrugged, scanning the environment one last time before turning to look at the group.

"So this is Strife's brat?" Another glanced down at Cloud and he scowled openly up at them. "You ever used a gun son?"

"Not really." Cloud grumbled, glancing down at the guns strapped to his body. "No reason to." He added a little louder when he looked back up to them.

"Ha, good kid eh?" Another chuckled.

"Yeah, but did you hear about that kid in Wutai?"

"The General?"

Cloud glanced up at the, curiously watching as the group began to move along the trail.

"Yeah, they say he completely crippled the Wutai army by himself."

"Hopefully the war will end soon then."

"Doubt it. Those Shinra bastards don't know when to quit."

"What do you think about all this Isa?"

The Wutai was walking silently beside Cloud, and had his eyes fixed elsewhere when he distractedly supplied; "Shinra wouldn't stop until they've made a through example of whatever reasons they could provide."

"Was that a deer?" Cloud asked offhandedly, lazily pointing to where the light furred animal was running off.

"Yes." Isa replied flatly as a few tried to aim for it.

The moutain- as always- was a silent majesty, with arching black rocks whose jagged protrusions promised a painful fall if none were to ever take a fall down it's side, and small rock dens camouflaged by snow and pebbles where small animals hibernated.

Cloud knew thanks to Isa that the larger animals- and even rarer- along with dragons inhabited the largher caves towards the peak, but to go there you had to go past the gorge, but as they took another route through the mako crystal caves he had been through with Benjamin (in secret of course) Cloud discovered two new facts he was not happy to know.

This was _so_ boring.

The second was that in his silent musings he had somehow become separated from the group in unfamiliar territory. A low groan made him stiffen, rigidly he turned to look back atbtge massive chuck of rock that was... Moving. A humanoid like rock figure rose to his feet, easily towering over the blonde, it's slow steps thunderous with each footfall.

"Whoa." He breathed, feeling excitement bubble in his stomach. " _Stone Giants?"_ He looked at Miss Merryweather in confusion as she sat across from him in the kitchen of the brothel sipping tea. "Does such a thing exist?" He had asked.

"Officially, no, Shinra made sure to destroy all records concerning mythical creatures of the such, but ya know your old woman." She winked with a grin, and Cloud let out a laugh.

"So what's up with these Giant's anyway?"

Her eyes brightened as she folded her hands together and began her explanation. "They were a peaceful race until The End, they traveled occasionally and sometimes the largests- now they were rumored to break the heavens themselves- let nomadic people live in them."

"Really?"

" _Really_." The giant paused, it's sullen space for eyes studying Cloud for a moment before extending a long arm.

Eagerly, Cloud climbed onto the giant's shoulder, grinning as the stone behemoth walked along some invisible route. It wasn't a long walk, despite the giant's pace, but Cloud's breath caught in his throat when the Giant set him down at the edge of a lake- steep cliffs sporting a waterfall pouring down into the clear water. Sitting itself down once more and unmoving as Cloud smiled at it.

"Cloud!?" The shout echoed off the rock walls. "Cloud!"

"I'm here!" He shouted, back, trusting Isa to figure out where he was.

" _Holy shit_."

"Language." He teased, watching the Wutain melt at the sight of the scenery.

"Well I'll be damned!" A hunter laughed, peering down at the water. "It really exists!"

"Cloud," Mayor Lockhart started. "How did you find this place?"

On cue the giant slowly stood, causing the group to jump back in fright as it began to walk away. "Thank you!" Cloud called after it, offering a smile and a wave when it paused to look back at him. Seemingly satisfied, the giant disappeared into the twisting cave system of Mount Nibel.

"Holy shit." Isa repeated, staring wide eyed after the giant, as the others did with similar expressions. Suddenly, Isa's jaw snapped shut, and he folded his arms over his chest. "Cloud, what did I tell you about talking to strangers?"

Cloud blinked dumbly up at Isa who gave him his usual glare. He replied flatly, "it's a rock."

"It's still a stranger." He argued, his frown deepening.

"..."

"Stop laughing! Cloud! I'm being serious!"

When his laughter had died down, the others had quickly discovered that the lake was swarming with fish, so Isa took the liberty of explaining how to properly scale and fillet a fish. Which wasn't supposed to be hard- except the damn thing was so slimy, and wouldn't stay still whenever he tried to rub off the scales. "Isa, its not working." He growled, letting out a gulp when the knife sunk into the fish and beheaded it.

"How the hell did you do that with the dull side?" He quirked an eyebrow, adjusting the angle of the blade for the third time.

"Maybe its your stupid face." He lamely grumbled, eyes widening when the first few scales came off.

"Yes Cloud, my face is capable of causing you to decapitate a poor, innocent fish because I'm so evil for telling you to brush your teeth for eleven years straight." He drawled sarcastically, flicking the teenager's forehead with a roll of his eyes.

He wrinkled his nose at the thought of the horrid, too minty, toothpaste Isa made him use. "Maybe I would brush my teeth more if you would get me the bubblegum toothpaste like I asked."

"Cloud, I stopped you from using that to save you from the embarrassment of the store clerk commenting on the princesses that were on it." Isa deadpanned, impaling his fish with a stick and letting it hover over the fire while the others ate their fish and observed with bemusement.

"So? Palmer's gotten me it before."

"And you tried to eat half of it in a day." The man sighed in fond exasperation.

"It tatses better than what you buy me."

"That's because I care about your dental health, not your suffering taste buds."

"No wonder you won't let me eat bacon. You're sadistic- yoiu know that?"

"Yes Cloud, I'm completely sadistic because I wouldn't let you drink bacon grease from the pan. Completely sadistic."

"I was gonna eat an apple with it."

"Oh, how tactless of me, I also apologize for insulting your dietary preferences because ice cream and pickles should never mix."

"You didn't even try it!"

"Because the lining of my stomach isn't made of iron Cloud." Isa snorted, taking Cloud's gutted fish from him and holding it over the fire. "Weirdo." He teased, taking a bite of his fish and sending a friendly kick to Cloud's leg.

"Jerk." He grumbled, punching Isa back and scooting closer to the fire.

With a full stomach, Cloud snuggled deeper into his sleeping bag, glowering at a white hare that cuddled up to his side after everyone had gone to sleep- except for Isa, who was sneaking pictures of the bunny crawling into the crook of Cloud's neck. "It's a manly demonstration of my tolerance for animals." He reminded himself with a grumble, resisting the urge to grab the rodent when it shifted, causing a foot to claw intoi his nose.

"You keep telling yourself that... Cloud." He heard Isa say softly before he felt the gentle tug of sleep.

 _"Save them."_

Wearily, Cloud blinked his eyes open, letting out a startled gasp when he was no longer by the campfire, but masked figures standing over him in a circle.

"Repent."

" ** _Repent_**." Through his tear filled vision he glowered up at the bathroom ceiling, watching the figures walk away as he clutched his broken hand and felt the throb of unconsciousness tugging on his mind.

"Isa!" He cried, thrashing violently when his wrist were seized, staring down at the dark water fearfully. "Isa! Help! Please!"

A few mocking laughs could be heard and Cloud felt his stomach leap up to his throat as the water inched closer with his feet in the air. Thrashing harder he screamed as loud as his lungs could allow him, letting out a choked gasp when water wrapped around him, rushed inside his lungs and burned him from the inside.

 _"My son. My beautiful child."_ A sweet voice crooned as he stared at the dark empty space before him. _"Come to me...my child."_

 _Who are you?_

 _"Come my son."_

 _Why...are...I'm not-_

 _"That woman is a traitor!"_ The woman spat viciously.

 _No...she's..._ Palmer grinned down at him, ruffling his hair a little and Miss Merryweather held a graph problem up for him to solve.

 _"Do not think of them- they're all traitors!"_

Isa frowned, inspecting the engine he had fixed carefully as Cloud nervously bit his lip. Smiling, Isa complimented him and ruffled his hair affectionately. He had felt so happy. Jessie laughed, connecting a few more wires as Kai brought tea and lemonade with Palmer and Grammy, Isa taking the extra calculus papers from her hands and a tray as the other girls followed.

 _Family._

Suddenly, it wasn't so dark- there was a field full of flowers; fingering the petals gently he stared up at the ice over the warm ground- which was the first oddity he discovered in this odd world, while the second was that the sky was green and he sat in the shade of a cherry tree, or it might've been a plum tree, but at the moment Cloud was more concerned with the dark figure beneath the tree.

 _"Save them."_ A gentler voice urged, leaving only silence hanging in the air between him and the silver haired man that stared down at him. The man didn't look that old- his face still had some soft features, but his cat like emerald eyes held an otherworldly appearance that made Cloud unsure if the apparition was real.

Taking a shy step- then instantly regretting it when the ice spread, it's glossy surface reaching the figure's black boots and causing the man to look up at him. "Who... Are you?"

Disinterested, emerald eyes studied the cherry tree, holding back a growl of annoyance Cloud repeated; "who the hell are you?"

After a long moment the man's lips parted, and a deep voice smoothly replied; "I could ask the same of you. Though I am surprised to learn that my subconscious is more creative than I imagined." He chuckled darkly, and Cloud noticed the dark circles under those breathtaking eyes.

Summoning his courage he walked over to the man, ignoring the ice that was now crawling up the bark of the cherry tree when he did so and gently touched his board shoulders, running his palms along the skin in soothing motions. Slowly, those muscled shoulders (seriously, this guy was huge) relaxed underneath his touch and his emerald eyes slowly closed.

Oh gods, he was not enjoying this- he was not enjoying this at all, was what he kept chanting in his head as he rubbed harder at the seventh know he found towards the base of the man's neck, pushing more silver strands aside and cursing his brain for even thinking about how surprisingly soft it was.

He swore to the gods he never would've started this if he knew he was such a pervert.

Shyly he finished up the massage between the man's shoulder blades through the leather and once he lifted his hands away the jacket was off, exposing creamy flesh that was free of any blemishes or markings. Feeling his face heat up as those eyes stared back at him meaningfully he tentatively began working the muscles again, marveling at the number of tense spots he missed. "So, where are you from?" He tried in a meek attempt to ignore his thoughts.

"I don't have a hometown." He said tersely with a frown.

"Nah, you probably just don't know." Cloud shrugged. "Grammy says that some kids grow up like that."

He stayed silent, breathing in deeply when Cloud inched his hands down towards his shoulder blades.

"I'm from Nibelheim." He started, fully prepared for this one sided conversation. "It's right at the foot of a mountain- there's a reactor here too. Lots of bunnies. Me and my friend Ben tagged a bunch of them once for an experiment- though it was more of an observation." He shrugged, once again pushing away a stubborn strand that refused to lay any wear but the man's back. "Palmer knows a lot about mako too, and Isa told me that he knew some Wutain's that studied it too."

The man visible flinched at the mention of the western country, so instead Cloud talked about the brothel, his mother, and Benjamin, school, Miss Merryweather, the stone giant he had come across earlier, and anything he could think of until he finished when he had been dumped into the lake. "Am I dead?" He asked, idly twirling a few strands of silver hair in his fingers.

Slowly the man turned, a large hand reaching up to gingerly brush against his chin. "Most likely." He supplied solemnly.

"Are you a soldier?"

"Yes."

"Are you strong?"

"Yes."

"Are you leaving soon?" Cloud looked back at the wet cherry tree that shed its petals on them.

"Sephiroth."

"What?"

"My name is Sephiroth."

"Oh...I'm-" He gasped, sitting upright and staring down at his familiar covers and ignoring his stomach as he threw off the sheets and walked down stairs to his computer.

"Cloud!" He felt his shoulders shake under the hands that gripped them and he blinked up at Isa.

"Dad?" Dazed, he rocked back and forth where he stood. "What was that thing?"

"Jenova." Palmer answered from behind Isa with a scowl. "It was called Jenova."


	8. Chapter 8: Midgar Show

"Is that even comfortable?" Cloud blurted out, earning an eye roll from Isa, a laugh from Palmer and Miss Merryweather. The stood in the basement of Shinra manor, where Palmer had took them after she told him about Jenova, promising more answers.

Maybe that wasn't the best question to ask a man who had spent the last twenty years slumbering in a coffin after years of experiments, but Cloud was really lacking creativity when all this new information scrambling his brains and the mako mucking up his new enhanced senses.

And gods, it made no fucking sense- after he woke up Palmer began explaining about Shinra's earlier days, how she had been a lab assistant under a Professor Hojo after Professor Ghast died, left to rot in the basement of Shinra manor after deemed a 'failure'.

Apparently the mako was lingering in his system- and he didn't even fucking know that Mako _had_ a density properly, let alone it was at the bottom of that damned lake and he had been a coma for two weeks.

And it left him fucking pissed.

"You look like him..." The raven haired man in the odd red cape muttered, pointedly staring at Cloud.

"Who are you?" Isa asked the raven haired man who merely stared emotionlessly at the blonde with luminous crimson eyes. That guy needed to stop that. Cause really, the whole coffin shit was creeping him out.

"Come on Isa, that was so lame." Palmer sighed. Playing absently with a spider web dangling from the skulls stacked against the wall, twirling the web around her long finger.

How could she be _so_ calm?!

"I don't think ya'll should be worryin' about what's 'lame' and 'cool'." Miss Merryweather snorted. Shielding her hair from the webs slung on the door as she entered the crypt.

"Do something original and cool! Like; we totally read that creepy guy reports and really, really would appreciate it if you explained more about this Sephiroth." Palmer continued, bouncing excitedly despite her almost nudity and high heels.

"You know Sephiroth?" The man in the coffin perked up at that, metal clawed hand grasping the edge of the coffin.

"Yes, yes, what part of 'read all of the reports' don't you understand?" Palmer scoffed, placing both hands on her hips and pouting.

"That, and he is the most famous man on the planet." Isa sighed, sending an annoyed glance to the black haired woman. "Possibly the strongest as well."

"I see."

"Well nice talking to you. Thanks for absolutely fucking nothing." Cloud chimed, about to walk out of the room when Miss Merryweather gave him a stern glance.

"Cloud." Isa sighed, "I know you're upset and confused, but that's no reason to lash out." He quickly scolded.

"Eh, let the kid get it out of his system. Why don't you take a look around with Grammy?" She smiled sweetly, and Cloud lowered his head in embarrassment of his lack of control over his temper.

"Come on Grammy." He grumbled, holding the door open for her. The rock walls of Shinra Manor's basement uneased him- enespecially now, since he couold see the outline of various monsters clinging to the rock wall.

"You know..." He hesitantly started, taking a deep breath to swallow his nerves. "I sometimes remember things... Like my real dad...and that other guy...how he hit me and... Her."

"Her? Cloudy?" Grammy hesitantly opened a door, cringing at the sight of long bloodied and rusting medical equipment before slamming the door shut.

"My real ma."

"Cloud, we can talk about this some other time." She resumed walking, swatting a low flying bat away from her bouncing afro.

"No, he... It was small things at first... Like pushing and threats. Gods he made me so pissed sometimes." He laughed bitterly, entering the room at the end of the hall and glancing about the old laboratory. "I barely remember what happened. Just waking up covered in blood. Ma stitching me back up and crying... It hurt. The needles... the bright lights..."

"What hurt?" Grammy stopped, gripping his shoulders with her strong hands and urging him to continue.

"That'd she just... Let it get that far." He let out a slow breath, just as Grammy had taught him. "I blamed her for a while- Hell, I still do... but it hurt more when she ignored me. Too drunk to care."

"Go on Cloudy, I won't judge you." She assured, feeling a pain his her chest went he sent her a tired and solem look. Definitely child neglect, she noted bitterly, thanking Isa and Palmer for showing the boy appropriate adult/child relationships... Well as appropriate as Palmer could be.

"I... Remember her with my real dad... She always looked so happy. I saw him when he left... I cried so much." He sighed. "I look a lot like him." He said with a note of sadness.

"Cloud, just remember that they both love you."

Cloud laughed at that. "Funny thing... I don't really care bout that since... Ya know... You, Isa, Palmer and all the girls... You guys are my family..." He blushed scratching his cheek with a glaring blush May found completely adorable.

"Oh, my boy." She laughed, "I'm happy to hear it."

Cloud let out his last deep breath, feeling the weight leave his shoulders as he reached for a few books on the table. "Did yoiu talk to Benjamin about his sexuality?"

"Why yes I did." She blinked, eyebrows raised in surprise. "So I take it y'all talked it out?"

"Yeah... I'm not sure about men or woman and all that jazz... But... I'd like to keep my mind... Open." The return of the blush.

"Thats good son, hand over that book right there would ya?" He gave it to her wordlessly, pausing to lift another when his cheeks burned bright red.

"Uh... How does... It work?"

"What work?"

"Uh... Ya know... Two guys..."

"..."

"Grammy its not funny!"

When they returned to the brothel, finding Palmer, Isa watching in bemusement as coffin guy fought to keep the cape Kai was trying to wash. "Its dusty!" She growled, effectively wrestling the red fabric out of his golden clawed hold.

"I prefer it like this." He protested with a face that suggested otherwise, trying to escape the grip she had on his collar. "Please release me."

"Just let her wash it. She'll try to strip you down naked if you don't." Cloud offered, mulling over how he had once again missed bacon in his breakfast.

"That is it!" Kai pounced, wrestling the man to the ground and working the cape off, as he wordlessly fell to the ground.

"Did you two find anything?" Isa asked, walking past Kai who was now taking off coffin-smelling guy's black shirt, grumbling about too many buckles.

"Apparently Jenova was mistaken for a Cetra." Grammy began, leaving Cloud to free to talk to Palmer who pulled him close and ran her fingers through his blonde hair.

"What did happen in that dream? The one with Jenova?" She asked absently, watching as Kai scampered off, while coffin guy, looking as if he hasn't just been stripped down to his underwear sat calmly, inspecting his pistol.

"Um... Nothing..." He scratched his cheeks, wondering if the guy wanted the two funds he brought to the hunting trip.

"Awe, did you find out something embarrassing?" She cooed, poking his side playfully.

"Only that she has a serious promotion of an Oedipus complex." Cloud muttered darkly with a shudder.

"Ew!" She giggled. "But that does sound kind of hot."

" _Ma_! Palmer's being a pervert!"

Isa cursed himself for acknowledging Cloud when he called him that.

"What about the one with Sephiroth?" Palmer inquired, now twisting the ends of his hair into small braids.

"..."

"Awe! Did my Cloudy do the dirty deed? The horizontal tango? Some amorous congress? Open a basket making shop? Played St. Gorge? Gave him a green gown? Blew a blanket hornpipe?"

"Oh my gods!" Cloud slapped a hand over his redening cheeks, " we just talked!"

"So it was more like 'talk dirty' then?" She grinned deviously, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

"Ma! Palmer's being a gross pervert!" Cloud groaned, his entire face red as he turned to the Wutain.

"Stop calling me that!"

"Then stop answering to that, Ma!"

"They're certainly lively." Vincent commented to Miss Merryweather, he believed her name was, as he sat, still stupefied that he had just been striped down to his underwear.

"Well, its certainly never a dull day." The woman chuckled, her large afro bouncing with her head as she nodded. "I'd like to ask ya a question, if ya would." She questured to a heavy metal door, nodding he made his way to it, holding it open for her.

"You go sexy momma!" Palmer cheered with a wink, causing Vincent to blush as he stepped into the room, closing the door behind him.

"How did ya know Cloud's father?"

Cloud... So that was his name. Sound something like Sky would choose. "He called himself a 'Wanderlustige' when I was just sent to Nibelheim. Naturally, it was my responsibility to gather Intel about the area, where I met him in the Inn." Vincent glanced down at the black desk, spotting dark stains shaped into a flower on itsits smooth surface.

"He slept anywhere and everywhere, and I found him one day sleeping in the mansion. He told me he was hiding from two Wutain's who he managed to anger." Vincent chuckled. "I believe one of them was Isa. He was only a child then. The other was Xing."

"Xing?" The dark skinned woman blinked, raising an eyebrow.

"His brother." Vincent clarified, tracing the flower with his thumb.

"So that's his name..." Merryweather mused. "Do you know Cloud's mother?"

"No. I died before that." He admitted, glancing up to find the woman absently flipping through the pages of a sketchbook. "What will you all do with this knowledge?"

She laughed, throwing her head back and laughing. "Honestly I'm not sure- I'm too old to do anything, but... Cloud... He might be able to figure it out." She chuckled, "the boy is a genius after all."

"Him? He's a child." Vincent replied skeptically.

"He is." She chuckled. "But my boy is part of the next generation of children, I've seen him grow and help people around him. I think they can show us elders a new thing or two."

"Coffin dude!" The door slammed open and Cloud barreled into him.

Vincent blinked as the boy who was now wearing a neon pink parka that matched the possum's on his shoulder, fluffy pink bunny slippers on his feet. "You've hacked computers before right!? Do you know ruby, because I swear no matter how many times I try to line break a paragraph so I can read the stupid thing it creates another link box instead."

"Uh... Why is that possum wearing a parka?" He managed, staring wide- eyed at Palmer who was wearing some kind of outfit he only saw in some old comic books the younger Turks read.

"Don't ask." Cloud replied, glancing at Isa who was covered in glitter. "Its easier if you just don't ask."

"So, Isa's sending me to Midgar, and they have newer models stuff and I want to learn how it works, but I can't get into the Shinra mainframe, and its pissing me off." The blonde grumbled.

"Why is he sending you to Midgar?"

Glowing blue eyes met his, and the boy gave him a look as if he had just said the most idiot thing in the world. "You want to talk to Sephiroth, don't you?"

"Yes."

"And you've been asleep for twenty years."

"I'll manage."

"He knows me."

"If he remembers."

The blonde scowled, sitting himself down before a computer and distractedly typing. "I want to talk to him too. I don't really understand why I saw him... But... I just feel like I need to talk to him." He admitted quietly.

"What will you say?"

"Well, ' _Hi, you were injected with alien cells while you were a fetus, and I know this for sure because a guy who's supposed to be dead was there and he's still alive because your father is a crazy scientist who killed him and your mother who allowed you to become an alien clone brought him back to life_ ' isn't sounding too good." He drawled dryly.

"His father?" Vincent blinked.

"Some professor Hojo guy- here." The blonde pushed aside some envelopes that had been on the desk. He plucked the one on the bottom, figuring it was the first and unfolded the paper.

 _Dear Cloud,_

 _I made it to Midgar safely, and I saw a chocobo for the first time on the way here. They kind of reminded me of you, and I got homesick pretty quickly, ahaha. Midgar's huge! I never seen so many people in one place, and once I got to the building I got so lost. A nice girl helped me out. She said that she was visiting her sister who was a Turk. She wouldn't tell me what was a turk though._

 _With love,_

 _Ben._

Vincent knew these letters were probably personal, but none the less he opened the next one.

 _Dear Cloud,_

 _Remember that nice girl who helped me out? I asked her out on a date, she blushed and it was really cute. Though, her sister really scares me. Turns out all the Turks all look like class one bunny killers! Anyways working with Dr. Hollander isn't too bad, but I feel like my diet I going to be caffeine for the foreseeable future. I sure do miss Kai's cooking, oh and try not to overload on the bacon._

 _With love,_

 _Ben._

 _Dear Cloud,_

 _Today, I got a promotion, and it's all your fault Cloud Strife. The head of the science department- Professor Hojo is kind of creepy, but I swear your sass is contagious, because the two were arguing about the geographical difference of effectiveness of mako (I know, so entertaining right?) And I butted in and said 'why don't you just try building some giant windmills and blow really fucking hard'. I was so scared they'd ship me back to Nibelheim I didn't realize I had been promoted to 'lab assistant'._

 _See? Its all your fault._

 _With love,_

 _Ben._

"Head of the... Hojo." He growled, setting the letters down before he crushed them in blind rage.

If Hojo was the current head of the department that meant Gast was most likely dead, and that left Hojo free to do whatever he wished to experiment on while Vincent had spent to many years sleepingsleeping. He was beginning to wonder if that was the right way to atone for his sins.

"I believe we were heading to Midgar?"

Cloud smiled, unplugging a flash drive- when had the boy done that?- and holding out his hand. "Cloud Strife."

"Vincent Valentine."

"Let's mosey on."

That was _so lame,_ Vincent snickered, ignoring the glare Cloud gave him in return.

* * *

When they had arrived in the slums, Vincent hadn't been expecting to have a gun already pointed at his fave when he stepped into the Wutain home. Xing blinked, pulling back the triple barrel and ran a hand through hishis short, unruly black hair. "So what's it like being dead?"

"Xing." He greeted, ignoring the confused glance from Isa he got.

"Valentine." The large man returned, glancing down at Cloud. "So, you're the brat Sky had." He mused, chewing on a bamboo strip before meeting Isa's gaze. "I'm guessing you want a favor, right?"

"I can't give you all the details but-"

"Its something crazy then?" Xing grinned, wide and wolf like, just like he did when he was younger. "No need then, I'll look after 'im." He scooped Cloud up, holding the blonde underneath his arm and walking back into the house. "Let's go kid- you ain't a big softie like my brother are you?"

"Uh... Who the fuck are you?"

"Ha! I like this kid already!"

"Oh leviathan, what have I done." Isa sighed, shaking his head. "I guess I should ask how you know my brother, but I feel like I already know the answer."

"Sky." Vincent offered, scanning his surroundings quickly. "Is Xing a yakuza?"

"Probably, I just hope he won't get Cloud in too much trouble." Isa sighed once more, frowning.

"He'll be fine."

"Bye Isa, we're going for a walk!" Cloud waved with a grin as Xing carried him past the two.

"Probably."


	9. Chapter 9: Yakuza Show

**An: Can I start by saying I love you guys so, so very much? Like, I'm pretty sure that I love you guys so much I'd get restraining orders against me, cause seriously I love you guys for all your support and you're all sweethearts and make my day even more amazing.**

* * *

"What the hell do you want?" A red haired woman glowered at them coldly as they stepped into the house- actually it was mostly Xing who stepped in, Cloud was just a package under his arm.

"I was wondering if you're tired of your man yet?" Xing replied, just as coldly, leaning back on the dirt stained couter after he set Cloud down. "I got an offer, but I don't want you to spend it all on your fix. Drugs makes your aim a little shaky."

"What are you trying to do?" She raised an eyebrow, but her blue eyes shinned in interest.

"See him? This is the kid of a friend I know, you stay with him the entire operation, maybe teach him a few things. Simple job, simple money." He gave a feral grin as the woman sat back thoughtfully, sipping her drink slowly.

"Why do I have to look after the brat?" She snapped, "I want to shoot something too."

"You will Shell, Cloud gets the middle row, and you will too." He promised, making Xing think back to the minuets before they arrived at the house.

" _Alright kid, rule of the slums number three; drive a good bargain_." Xing began, glancing down to the kid underneath his arm with a grin. Hell, as if he was going to hold the brat by the hand all the time. " _How do you think you do that?_ "

The blonde looked down at the dirt road, prusing his lips in thought. " _A hook_?"

" _Eh_?" Xing blinked, wondering what the hell the kid was talking about instead of listening to the slurs slum inhabitants tossed his way.

" _Its the attention grabber in a persuasive argument_." He shrugged nonchalantly, and Xing could already feel a little twinge of pride in his chest. Ya did good Isa.

" _Good, you get their attention, make a bargain, deal with complaints and drive it home. Ya got that, kid?"_

" _Don't call me kid._ " He grumbled, scowling a little. " _I'm almost sixteen, don't you think you should call me by something else?"_

" _You could be eight feet tall and have hairy balls bigger than a behemoth and I'd still call ya kid- don't take it so personal, okay kid?_ "

" _Sure thing, uncle Xing."_

 _What_? Xing blinked, feeling heat rush to his cheeks. " _Uh... Whatever kid_."

After leaving Shelly, Xing sat back watching his boys swarm Cloud who stood uncomfortably under all the pampering and 'Cloud-nii-san'- which if they were going to call him that choose either 'San' or 'Nii' for crying out loud.

"Glowing eyes,"

"Just like a SOLDIER."

Xing frowned at that, spotting a familiar figure he stepped into the shadows. "Why does the kid have mako?"

"An accident with a mako spring." Vincent cooly replied, and damn that cool headed idiot always managed to mess up his flow. "I'm sure his mako affinity is as high as his father's."

"Ha, I remember when they still used those words." Xing snorted, watching as Cloud roughly punched one of his yakuza's in the jaw. "These days everything is guns and machinery, reactors and pollution." He spat bitterly.

"You sympathize with the eco-terrorist?" Vincent inquired with a shrewd glance.

"Nah, both those two idiot big leagues just make it harder for me to work. AVALANCHE kills more goons, those goons start cracking down on weapon suppliers like me. Bad enough Corneo is mucking up my honorable business with his drug trade. A few of my best hire got hit bad." Xing growled.

"Corneo..." Vincent murmured, watching in bemusement as the yakuza Cloud punched praise the puzzled teenager. "I heard he's been taking your territory."

"Damn right he has." Xing grumbled. "Though, I'm impressed you found out this much so quickly." He admitted, waving away one his boys who was sending him a questioning look.

"What are you planning tonight?"

"I'm taking the kid on a regular run. See if he can take care of himself before I send him off with whatever you're doing." He send a cold glare to the man. "Oi, and what's this I hear about me being an uncle or some shit?"

Vincent smiled knowingly at that, causing Xing to blush in embarrassment. "I believe your little brother has a lover."

"WHAT?!" Xing roared, startling the boys amd storming down to his office where the phone line was. Impatiently, he tapped his foot, waiting for his idiot brother to pick up.

"Charles, Isa."

Taking a deep breath he held the reviver in front of him and roared;

"YOU WHORESON OF A BASTARD! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THAT YOU HAD A WOMAN! DID YOU NOT THINK IT WAS IMPORTANT! AND WHAT'S WITH THAT UNCLE SHIT! DON'T MAKE ME GO TO THAT SHITSVILLE TOWN AND BEAT THE ANSWER OUT OF YOU, YOU HALF KALM DOLT!"

"Hello Xing." Isa replied smoothly, making Xing's eye twich in irritation. "I'm glad to hear you're still doing well." A pause. "Wait, what did you say about an uncle?"

"Hi _ma_!" Cloud sang smugly, leaning a little to make sure Isa could hear him.

Xing blinked.

Xing blinked again.

Xing blinked a third time while the rest of the room remained silent.

"BWUAHAHAHAAHA!" Xing howled, holding his sides as he laughed. "Oh Leviathan! No, I can't ...bwahahaha!"

"Shut up." Xing could practically see the blush on Isa's face as he spoke. "Palmer thought it would be a funny joke on father's day."

"Palmer? That chick you had the hots for... For like... Forever?" He sent a curious glance to Cloud who was soaking up possible blackmail material like a giant chocobo shaped sponge. "You're with her?"

"Its... Complicated."

Snorting, Xing held the recover to his other ear. "Yeah, cause apparently wanting to have a little fun in the bedroom is complicated." He drawled.

"Xing- is Cloud there?"

"Nope." he lied with a grin.

"Liar. What are you planning?" Damn, Isa knew him too well.

"Nothing bad." He promised earnestly, watching as Cloud walked off and said something to Vincent who was being swarmed by an army of terrifyingly intimidating fan boys.

"... Xing... I don't want him getting hurt."

"Come on, Isa-chan, don't get all soft on me." He chuckled, picking the underneath of his fingernail. "I'm his uncle right? I'd be a pretty shitty uncle if something happens to okassan's kid."

"Xing." His brother groaned. "Please don't call me that."

"No can do _O-ka-san._ " He teased.

"Thank you."

"Thank me later." And with that he hung up. "Oi, what time is it? We need to get this operation underway."

"... Be careful with the recoil." He heard Vincent caution when he drifted close.

Xing, shifted for a moment, studying the blonde before walking into another room, grimacing at the sight of his father's two ninjato. Lifting the two blades from their stand he returned, nudging the brat with one kojiri.

"Oi, kiddo. Here." He flipped the blades, holding out the tsukas' to him.

"Thanks." The blonde took the blades with a raise of the eyebrow, but didn't say much else.

"The mako might make guns a little slower for you," Xing began, appreciating that the blonde could at least wear the blades on his belt properly. "Those should hold up pretty well with bullets."

"Why the hell are you all still playing around?" He heard a familiar voice huff.

"Bitch." He heard Cloud grumble, such earned a glare from Shelly.

"Brat." She snapped, her rifle strapped to her back. "Who the hell is that?" She guestured to Vincent who gave her a calculating stare.

"No one." Xing snorted, waving to Vincent. "Alright, let me get something for Cloud real quick and we'll go. Believe it or not In actually trying to stay low this time. Come on kid."

He pulled open the shoji door, hearing Cloud's footsteps behind him he walked down the halls to the room where the mask maker resided. He got on his knees, giving a little bow, gesturing for Cloud to do the same.

"Enter." The raspy voice called out, and the door slid open to reveal an old decrepit woman who looked down at Cloud through her tribal mask. "Ah... Its been a long time since I've seem eyes like that..."

"Ba-san, could you please make a make a mask for Cloud-chan?" He glanced up at the old woman, who smoked from her wooden pipe silently.

"...Humph." Was all she said, studying Cloud closely. "It has been a long time since an outsider has been accepted into our clan. I believe the last was your grandfather." She truned, back facing them. "Very well... I may already have something for you. Come boys"

"Did you know my grandfather?"

"It is incredibly rude to speak out of turn." She snapped, reaching over for her cane and lobbing it over the poor kid's head. "But yes, I knew your grandfather. He was a very handsome man... He did many great things... Though those were lost to time rather quickly."

"I... Understand..."

"I'm not quite sure you do." She sent him another glance while Xing bit down on his tongue. "Remember boy, you carry a fine wolf pelt on your shoulder, as did your father before you. And him as did your grandfather. You have no reason to be afraid."

"Thank you."

"Do not thank me yet boy. You have a long journey before you." She took another long drag from her pipe. "And you'll only shame yourself if you fall." Cloud stayed silent, mulling over her words. "Good. Now off you go."

* * *

Shelly rubbed her throbbing arm as she walked next to the blonde, every so often the two exchanged challenging glares, that she knew were driving Xing insane, but anything to ignore the pounding in her skull.

She had skipped her last two mako injections, and now she was on the verge of suffering withdrawal symptoms.

The kid was kind of adorable, just like her baby boy had been. If only she had listened to him... It made her wonder if he got the mako running through his blood the same way Reno did.

"Is something wrong?" The filter in the mask made his voice distorted, and his goggles gloweed a bright shade of blue giving the child an almost inhuman appearance.

"Nothing you need to worry about." She quickly snapped, taking a few deep breaths to steady her pounding heart. She needed her fix, lest she die after the symptoms started.

"Well you are my guard." He chuckled, scanning the spiteful faces of the non-Wutain slum dwellers. "What can you tell me about Xing?"

She lifted an eyebrow at that, adjusting the metal mask that covered the lower half of her face, adjusting the bayonetta on the end of her rifle. "Not much to say; his family was a powerful yazuka clan before the war broke out, and half of them defected and came here: lead by the bastard himself of course."

"And how do Midgardian's feel about that?"

"Well..." Why would he want to know? "Not many care, since the only other major player in the slums is Corneo, and everybody who isn't a whore or addicted to his new drugs would only care if that bastard died."

"Aren't you addicted yourself?"

Shelly almost stopped instantly- who the hell was this kid?! "W-well I..."

"It's alright... but you know I'm working on a concoction to counteract the symtoms."

Now she was just starting to wonder if this boy was Xing's long lost twin- except more charming and baby-faced.

"Though it's mostly theory." He shrugged. "I haven't atually been able to test out a actual solution, but rather dillute it with water and small ion particles." He sighed, running a hand over the furred hood that covered his head. "I'm still working out the kinks."

"And why would you ask about everything else?" She raised a red eyebrow, ignoring the picnh her goggles gave her at the action.

"'Cause, I'm planning something- and I plan on monopolizing as much of the slums as I can in order for it to work." He let out a bitter chuckle. "Plus... there's someone who I need to catch up with. Maybe apologize."

Automatically her heart yeanred for her baby boy, and this time she did stop, gripping his shoulders tightly that were tense with a mixture of surprise and wariness. "Don't wait." She begged. "Don't wait too long to say what you need."

"Shelly?" He choked out, obviosuly confused, but understanding.

"Hey! And you yell at me for being slow!" Xing grumbled, turning back to look at them through the shaded lense of his skull mask.

"Is something wrong Nii-san?"

"Do you need water?"

"Do your feet hurt?"

God, those yakuza sure do know how to pamper their precious clan head's. Shelly sent a curious glance to Cloud- she recalled his name was- pleased to see him sheppishly scratch at the metal on his cheek. The boy wasn't a hardened mercenary like her- no she had been appaled when she stopped fawning over the small baby bunny that she used to care for, and barely flinched when her husband laughed as he murdered the poor animal right in front of her.

The stepped onto the train, the Shinra instantly running off when Xing's men sent them ferocious glares and threats; making Shelly chuckle over the odd men. They certainly had charater, and Xing was certainly picking up a few more strange ones lately- most likey rejects from Wutai, She mused.

Even though the general population could care less about the immagrants, the Wutains were the most likey to be discriminated; forcing them to usually join a gang for protection or suffer a harder life.

"Ha! Can you hear that Cloudy!?" Xing chortled, hands on his hips and a feral grin on his lips.

"I don't hear anything." The blonde paused. "And don't you think you shouldn't use my name?" He whisspered.

"Pft, as if any ignorant Midgardian would believe a yakuza would actually have a name like that!" He jeered, playfully slapping the back of Cloud's head. "And that's it- the silence right before a hunt begins." Xing contiuned in a low voice, making Shelly's blood pump in anticipation. "This is what real hunting is kid- it's what it's all about, so pay close attention. And don't make a face like that! Clouds have significant meaning in Wutai culture." He quickly scolded.

"Uh- boss, he's wearing a mask." Xing's seccond in command noted before she could.

"Shut up Benny, I know that!"

They wordlessly exited the car, climbing onto the roof of the train car and observing the complex rail roads that spread out the city like a spider web. A web with too many spiders crawling about than flies to catch.

"There it is!"

The train they were looking for screeched with a shrilll whine, shaking the tracks beneath it as it drew closer.

Xing was the first to jump, and Cloud quickly followed with Shelly on his heels, gravity pulling them back down to the earth once the weightless affect disappeared, and her ankles made a small, stinging protest, absorbing the shock as she rolled to a stop.

"Alright, take the train!" The yakuza gave a cheer, hopping down into the cars and attacking the guards inside with various weapons, ranging from baseball bats, to metal pipes, to automatic weapons.

"Stay close! We'll move to the cargo bay as they take the train!" Shelly yelled, dropping down onto the small platform and opening the door.

"Shoot to kill!"

Like a predator about to sink it's teeth into it's prey, Shelly gave a low growl, rushing forward and impaling the first grunt with her atatchable blade, knocking the twiching body back into the grunt behind it and swinging the corspe off into another, quickly shooting the fourth without much trouble.

She dared to check on Cloud, who slashed at a infantryman's chest with his katana and sliced the throat of another who dared to approach. They continued on to the next car, tearing through robotic guards and army personel alike until the reached the cargo.

" _Any of you Shinra fucks still alive_!?" Came Xing's voice on the train's speaker system. " _Yes? No? Well too fucking bad- cause we're stealing all your shit again_!"

"Nice discretion." Cloud commented sarcastically, prying off the lid of one box, reeling back once he saw the contents. "Holy- these aren't guns!"

Shelly stiffed, inspecting the machinery closer. "No... they're mech weapons. Or a pale replica of them?" She said darkly, every inch of her body becoming a few degrees colder.

"How do you know that?"

"Because... they're my designs." She snarled. "My stolen designs- Scarlet that bitch!" She hiseed, punching the nearest wall as her visioon became a hazy green. "I'll fucking kill her! I swear I'll fucking kill her!"

"Shelly?" She felt leather clad hands tenderly rubbing her shoulders as she trembled in uncontrolable rage. "Come back Shelly."

"S-she-"

"Yes Shelly, come back. Come on Shelly- this is just the drugs talking." A soft voice calmly urged, still giving her small, reasuring touches.

"Hey, Shelly, you're not actually losing it are you?" A steely voice chuckled- familar, but she couldn't put a place on it. "Come back down babe, we'll work everything out later."

"Come on Shelly."

The next thing she felt was a sharp, throbbing pain that made her whole body ache as darkness rushed up to greet her in a dreamless bliss.

When Shelly beame dullly aware that she was indeed, about to wake she felt the best she ever had in years. She sighed, enjoying the warmth enveloping her body as she shifted. "Oi, you can't sleep forever ya know."

"How nice it would be if I could." She sighed, opening her eyes to look at Xing who sat next to her on the floor. "I always thought you guys were weird for sleeping on these- but they're pretty confortabe."

"See?" He snorted, leaning back with grunt. "You woke up just in time for the grand celebration; great hero." He drawled, flashing a lopsided grin. "I almost thought I lost ya there. You gave me a scare oni-san."

"Little... sister?" She sent him a puzzled stare. "isn't that what your brat brother called me when we were little?"

"Yeah." He blsuhed, scratching his cheek. "But you gave me a scare... screaming bloody murder and all..."

Her eyes widened in horror. "Did I hurt Cloud?!"

He gave her a 'really' look. "Would you be laying there if you did?"

"You certainly grew up."

"Somone has to protect the family, Shell." He gave her a rare, earnest smile. "Now enough of all this mush! We have to catch the show!" He eclaimed, pullying her up and draping her on on his back.

"Are you trying to give me a piggy back ride?" She giggled, comlying and allowing him to carry her on his back.

"I really don't want to miss this." Xing sniffled dramatically. "My little nephew is going to be a yakuza!"

"You sure talk about 'manliness' a lot for someone who's such a big softie. nii-san." She teased, realizing he was walking towards a crowd gathered around a large pile of grabage and crap metal. "Oh god, you damn pryomanic- you aren't actually going to blow that up are you!?" She squeaked in horror, cringing when she saw the two meter ditch that completly surrounded the pile and boxes that were rigged with explosives like a christmas tree during the winter festival.

"I ain't a pryo... at least anymore." He shrugged, setting her down. "Yo, Benny, does everyone have a Barrier on them?"

"Yeah boss!" The yakuza grinned, passing the PHS that would detonate the pile to Cloud as he cast a mastered Barrier on Shelly. "Go on nii-san! Make it light up like the winter festival!"

"Gods, Isa is going to murder me." She heard the blonde grumble as he flipped it open and texted to the 'number'.

A series of earth shaking, deafening explosions knocked them off their feet, multiple mushroom shaped clouds swirling up and disappearing just below the large metal slab of the plate, the heat warming their bodies and leaving them with some satisfaction that swelled in their chest and allowed them to admire the display.

" _Shelly! No fair_!" Isa whined, the teenagersending a sharp glare up at her, but the effect was ruin by his pout.

" _Don't whine_." Xing grunted, tugging on Isa's cheeks and topping it off with a small pinch of the nose. "It ain't manly."

" _You're one to talk about manliness you big softie_!" Palmer huffed, shaking her head at the young man before sitting herself down at the campfire. Hesitantly, she asked softly, " _Do you think Shinra's going to come here too?"_

 _"No! Of course not!"_ Isa grined at her, casuing the ravonette to blush. _"We're way stronger than those weirdo's!_ "

Palmer frowned at that, playing with her hands absently. " _I used to work for them Isa... does that make me weird too?"_

The younger fell silent, reguarding Palmer with an unreadble expression. " _I don't think there's anybody in the world who isn't. But you're..."_ Color quickly spread on his face. " _You're a nice kind of weird."_

 _"Thanks."_ She meekly blushed, smiling happily at Isa who scratched his cheek sheepishly. " _Ya know, this is really nice_." She made a guesture to the campfire. " _It's like... something a family would do..."_

" _Family..."_ Xing repeated solemnly.

" _Must be nice... to have a family_."

Isa blinked in confusion. " _Aren't we family_?"

" _I guess we are, kiddo_."

" _Stop calling me a kid! I'm sixteen_!"

" _You could be eight feet tall and have hairy balls bigger than a behemoth and I'd still call ya kid- don't take it so personal, okay kid?_ "

Shelly smiled at the memory, ignoring the fact a peice of rubble just slammed into her barrier as Cloud sat down next to her.

"You know... I'm pretty sure Xing wouldn't mind if you stayed with us." Cloud smiled at her, sending a nervous glance to a molten chunk of metal that landed dagerously close to them as Xing jumped and roared with excitement. "It's kind of crazy." He laughed. "I left a bat-shit crazy family back in Nibelheim, and I somehow found another one here."

"Family." She sighed, reaching out with an arm and giving Cloud a small hug. "I guess we are kiddo."

"I'm almost _sixteen_!"

"Like that matters, baby boy." She snickered, gushing at how cute the scowling pout he gave her was.

Family... it had a nice ring to it.

* * *

 **Anyways, thanks for reading~**


	10. Chapter 10: Family Show

**Anyways I love you guys for all your support and awesome reviews, so keep being awesome! And its my ma's birthday too, so I'm going to be spending time with her all day :)**

* * *

Cloud sighed, glaring down at all the paper work on the desk in his room, then up at Xing who smiled down at him innocently. "Asshole." He grumbled, clicking on the end of his new favortive pen and getting to work on sorting out the bills.

"You're an angel kiddo!" Xing grinned, lounching himself on the low couch Cloud had bought with some of his share of the money Xing got from selling off the guns they kept from the train raid- and now his uncle was giving him the bills, compaining about how he was _so_ busy as he sat idly on his ass.

"I swear I'll make all of you suffer..." He grumbled, wondering how he was going to force the man to do paperwork. Oh well, he could always do that later. "Have you ever thoought about making weapons instead of stealing them?"

He sent Cloud an inquisitive glance, before returning his gaze to the ceiling. "Of course I have kid. Carmen and Sally are my pride an joy." What he was refering to was his tripple barreled shotgun and Shelly's bayonetta and rifle, because apparently there was a diffrence other than how they tore complete limbs off.

"Then why not make more?"

"That, my dear nephew, has a simple answer; money." He sighed. "Too expensive and requires man power to mass produce that stuff- and unfortunately money is a bit tight since Corneo has been taking my territory."

"Why not just take it back?"

"Nah, I can't risk losing my boys." Xing shrugged, glancing back to Cloud. "And I won't risk loosing you."

"What 'bout me?" Shelly smiled, poking her head through the door.

"You're still recovering from withdrawl- and you're too expensive."

"Come on Xing- it was just one pair of boots." Her grin grew wider as she lifted said booted foot onto Cloud's desk.

"A six hundred Gil pair of boots, with an extra hundred for assecories." Cloud added with a frown. "Why do boot's even need assesories?"

"Woman thing?" Xing shrugged once more, sitting upright.

"But really Xing, you have two mako infused fighters on your side and you aren't using them." Shelly frowned, sititng down next to him. "We're your family, and I know there's risk but we wanna help."

"Plus I need money to open an account for reserch." Cloud chimed with a sheepish grin. "And one can not simply hack into Shinra databases without appropriate equipment."

"And I need more shoes." Shelly giggled, oblivious to the glare the other two gave her.

"Boss!" They heard a voice shout. "Nii-san, Oni-san! You guys need to see this!"

"The hell...?" Xing grumbled, Shelly and Cloud following him out into the hall and into the main room where a cluster of people sat around a sleeping woman. Taking a clsoer look Cloud found that she looked closer to his age, and dazed mako eyes where stariing into his absently.

"It's a girl!" Benny exclaimed, cleaning the scratches on her arms. "We found her in the gorbage piles- it looked like she fell straight from the plate."

"She looks like a SOLDIER!"

"She even has the uniform."

"But women can't join SOLDIER."

Cloud nelt by her side, a pleasent melody playing in the back of his head- desperate, he grabbed at it, frowning as it slipped through his fingers.

Jarred, Cloud looked around, surprised to learn he was no longer in his home; he sat on thick ice, snowflakes drifting onto the flowers that sprouted through the cracks in the ice- and in the distance he could hear a wolf howl.

"Weird."

Spinning around he saw her, smiling at him, snowflakes drifting onto her short mousy brown hair and her eyes. instead of the distinct mako blue, were now an intense green, wearing noting but a pinkish kind of coral over her breast and below her stomach like thick veins. She sat on a slab of ice, brighhtly colored coral and fishes right beneath her. "It looks so cold, but it's really warm."

It was warm, he noted.

"Where are we- and I'm not actually making you up am I?" She laughed, shaking her head. "And what are you wearing?"

Looking down at himself he noticed that his skin was significantly paler, snoflake like patterns along his flesh and ornate silver robes hanging low around his waist. staring downat his reflection he noted that there was a crown like piece of jerwely perched proudly on her defiant spikes. "I dunno, but at least I'm wearing actual clothes."

"Touche." She giggled. "My name is Alison Harrison- it rymes, I know."

"Cloud Strife."

She blinked in surprise. "Wow, now that's a name." She grinned. "You look like a troubled person... Pale as death too."

"And you look like a fish themed striper- and I've seen what those girls wear." He chuckled fondly, perching himself at the egde, dipping his feet into the cool water, smiling when fish immediately nibbled on his toes. "But I suppose my grammy would say some bullshit about all this being reflections of ourselves."

She laughed at that. "And I just thought it was because I like water."

"I'm fond of cold weather." He offered with a wry smile. "And they did call me the _ice prince_ too."

"Fitting." She giggled, absently stroking a small white whale that passed under her. "So you've done this weird telepathic communication thing before?"

"By accident, I guess." He shurgged, smiling at a baby whale that chirped happliy at him. "You're from a sounthern town aren't you?"

"How's ya guess?"

"You have a natural tan."

"Ah," She snickered. "So you must live in some desolate cold place where little boys freeze their toes off in the winters." She teased.

"Close, the blizzards only get real bad in the middle of winter, otherwise it's either fog, fog and snow, or more snow than fog. It's called Nibelheim- moutain town."

"Junon. Fishing village."

"Huh, that explains the fish."

"They're my distant ancestors." She swooned dramatically.

"I'm pretty sure amphibions are distant human ancestors."

She stuck her tounge out in repsonse. "You're no fun. And you're the second person to say that to me."

"Who was the first?"

She frowned, hugging her legs as a seal jumpped up onto the ice slab she sat on. "My... commander... I was in SOLDIER until they found out I was a woman."

"I don't think there's anything that specifically says women can't join SOLDIER."

"There isn't, but it wasn't like that creep Hojo cared." She snarled, ignoring the concerned whine the seal lion gave her.

"Hojo... you too?" Cloud frowned, wondering why this one man seemed to have a hand in so many people's misery.

She nodded, glowering down at her toes.

"Well... I know some people that want to make him pay too- and as often as I suspect by 'pay' they mean brutal murder I'm starting to understand why." Cloud scowled, sending a glare to the walrus that was trying to creep up on him. "When we wake up... you could join us. I kind of want to shut down Shinra anyways."

Sher perked up at that. "Are you part of AVALANCHE?"

He could help but grin as he replied; "No I'm just a normal yakuza."

"A what?"

"Wutain crime syndicate."

"Oh... well that's a first." She laughed, petting the seals that seemed ot be barking in relief. "By the way, that Walrus looks like he's about to sit on you."

"Huh, what-" Cloud wheazed as all the air left his lungs and dark blubber flilled his vison. "Damn it!" He rasped.

This was _so_ not cool.

When Cloud woke, he was laying down in his futon, staring up at the ceiling when he heard a familar chuckle.

"Rise and shine sleepy head." Xing greeted with a relived smile. "I thought I lost you for a moment there."

"Where's Alison?"

"Alison?" Xing wrinkled his nose. "Who the hell is that?"

"Boss!" A Yakuza shouted, slamming the door open. "The girl woke up!"

"Alison." Cloud repeated, Xing's eyes widening in response.

"Cloud!" Alsion sighed in relief, leaning in the doorway. "Thank god, it wasn't just a dream."

"Alright- everyone without mako: leave!" Xing snapped, scattering the loitering yakuza as Shelly stepped in and closed the shoji door behind her. "Explain- now, before my head starts to hurt."

"I'd like to hear an explination as well." Vincent said, sitting nonchalantly on Cloud's couch.

"Holy cow- where did you come from!" Alison jumped, her eyes wide as she gaped at the former Turk.

"From the dead, now hurry up and tell me how you two know each other- and what was with that glowy shit you two did?" Xing snapped, while Alison looked visibly confused by his first statement.

"When I fell into the lake, I saw this... thing called Jenova." Cloud started slowly, watching as their expressions morphed into horror.

"You fucking saw that thing!?" Xing roared, balling his fist in rage.

"Oh god, Cloudy." Shelly sighed, sititng herself down next to VIncent. "Did you know this?" She asked him.

"Not specific details, but I have a vague idea of what occurred before I was awoken." Vincent aswered with a thoughtfull expression. "Did you both have a smillar occurrence as you did with Sephiroth?"

"Sephiroth!?" Alison gaped.

"Yeah, just give me a minuet to explain." He gave the ex-SOLDIER a sympathetic smile before he tunred back to the three adults. "I think Jenova's cells are... connecting us."

"Oh Levithan." Xing ran a hand over his face. "But how the hell did you two get thet freak's cells?"

"I think it was when Hojo..." Alison grimanced. "Experimented on me."

"Hojo." Vincent snarled, scowling vicously.

"Oh, baby." Shelly sighed, giving Alison a small hug. "It's alright; you're still you aren't you?" She soothed, and Alison visibly relaxed in her embrace.

"That doesn't explain how Cloud aquired his." Vincent mused, still scolwing as if he had tasted something bitter.

" _Shit_." Xing swore after a minuet of silence.

"I got them from my father... Didn't I?" Cloud inquired, slowly, testing the man's reaction.

Xing let out a breath of defeat, sitting down on Vincent's other side with a scowl. "Yeah, I remeber the fucker joking about how he was half alien or something like that... I never thought he was serious."

"It's possible." Vincent nodded. "I also recall him telling me of an ancient ritual his ancestors had done two thousand years ago... though at the time, regrettably, I refused to take him seriously."

"What the heck did I just walk into?" Alison sighed, rubbing her temples.

"One, big fucked up family with a lot of parent issues?" Shelly offered, once again oblivious to the two sets of eyes glaring at her.

"Oh, I'd fit right in." She remarked dryly, shaking her head.

"If I may ask, how exactly did you fall into Hojo's... care?" Vincent said with a scowl.

"I'm guessing you're the guy who wants to kill him then." She laughed weakly, staring down at her feet. "I... pretened to be a guy to get into SOLDIER, since they wouldn't let me join because I was a girl. And they found out on the day of my mako injections... so professor creep gave me a 'dishonorably discharge' and started..." She shuddered.

"I'm going to murder him." Vincent told her with unmoving emotion. " _Very_ slowly and _painfully_. You're welcome to watch."

"No offense to any of your guys," She turned to Cloud, "But you've got some scary friends, buddy."

"They're my family- actually I'm not too sure about Vincent, cause he mostly just hangs around and broods." Cloud teased, casuing the man to roll his red eyes.

"I suppose I would not pay too much mind if you consider me family by some extent." He admitted.

"Awe, Vincent's gone soft." Xing teased, elbowing the man playfully.

"On the contrary, I can become very hard."

"Oh my gods."

"Ew." Alison cringed, while Cloud send the man a blushing glare.

"Nobody needed to know that."

"Too much information."

"I think I'm going to be sick."

"Drama queens." Vincent huffed with anorther roll of his eyes.

"Did you just make a joke?" Xing balked, his mouth hanging open in shock.

"Well this is awkward." Shelly mumbled, rising from her seat. "You want to go shopping?"

"NO!"

"Was I asking you?"

Alison sent a warry glance to Xing who was already compalining about how much his wallet would be significantly emptier while Cloud scrambled to finsih the bills that were still on his desk.

They were weird, Alison deciced, but they kind of reminded her of her family back home.

* * *

"Choco?" Alison sent Shelly a dubious look as the woman shuffled through varous clothes on the rack in a store on wall market.

"Yeah, casue your skin looks so smooth and yummy- like chocolate!" Was her chirpy reply. What went on in that woman's mind?

It was weird, looking at dresses after she spent so long gushing over cars and G-bikes with her squad members back at HQ. Though none of them knew her secret she still felt they had a stronger connection than she did than the harsh girls back in small little Junon village.

"Blue looks nice on you." Shelly nodded, holding up a sleeveless hoodie with bunny ears fashioned onto the hood. "And Cloud will absoluetly love the 'wittle' bunny ears." She cooed, giving Alison another hug.

Alison blsuhed, accepting the hood with a small thank you. "I'm not sure if I'm trying to impress him, but he seems nice."

"Oh, he's a sarcastic little brat who thinks he can shoulder other people's pain- even if they don't ask." She laughed. "It works, but for some reason he thinks he has to carry the weight of the world."

"That sounds nice." She mused, thinking back to the other cadets she met. None of them seemed even remotely similar to the blonde in anyway- and she could shove most to the male population into catergories in an instant. "I mean, it sounds nice of him to do that."

"It is, but I'd wish he wouldn't." Shelly sighed. "There are just some things he can't do, and other things people need to do on their own... though I think he know's that."

"Then why would he keep doing it?"

Shelly gave her a solemn smile, picking up a pair of boots roughly her size. "He want's to try honey, I bet he thinks if he doesn't try he'll be no better than the scum who purposfully hurt others."

"Okay, I guess that makes sense, but what's with all those weird guys that hang around and call me oni-san?"

Shelly laughed, hugging her close once more and kissing her forehead. "Oh, honey you're a riot, didn't Cloud tell you they're yakuza." She whsipered the word, as if it were some kind of secret.

"So all those people...?"

"Yep, gangsters. Every single one."

"And you're...?"

"Oh, god no." She snickered, waving her hand dismissivly, picking out a pair of gloves. "I'm a mercenary- technically so is Xing, but he's their boss."

"Wow... that's pretty impressive."Alison sighed. "Maybe I should've become a mercenary instead."

"It's hard work darling." Shelly frowned, shaking her head. "Bad too- pays good once you make a name for yourself, but still does stuff to your head. I didn't get this mako the normal way, ya know."

Alison nearly stumbled when she heard that- she had heard of mako based cdrugs in the infanrty, and read that anyone with them in their possesion would immediatly be explelled and dishonrably discharged from any military duty. "Really?"

"M'hm, Cloudy's made some stuff for me to help stablize my mako, but the withdrals still hurt like hell." She scowled darkly. "Then it's a nightmare; feeling everything but not having any control over your own body. There's convolsions that make you wish you were dead, and cold sweats colder than Shiva's domain istelf- and then everyhting turns hotter than one of Ifrits nine hells while your praying to whatever god for a little mercy; and that's only when the symtoms are mild."

Alison shuddered, wondering why she had ever bought into Shinra's proprganda and trusted it enough to go work for a department that worked so closely with the substance- what had she been thinking?

"Ah, don't worry darling- your mako is probaly more stable than Cloud's since he fell into a mako spring, of all places."

Alison's jaw dropped. " _A mako spring_?" She heard horror stories of people just dying from the stuff from minor exposure- and he survived falling into an entire spring of it?

"Granted it was tightly condensed, and his body absorbed most of it he was still rendered catonic for two weeks." Shelly musued thoughtfully as she walked over to the old man sitting at the chashier.

"I didn't even know mako _had_ a density property!" She sputtered, wondering what exactly she had walked into once more.

"Oh neither did we- it must've have been real old for that to happen." Shelly giggled as if it was nothing.

"Isn't that _more_ dangerous!?"

"I guess it would be more potent."

Alison sighed, adjusting the shopping bag on her arm as they walked past the various stands littered outside the shops of wall market. "What's that back there?" She inquired, pointing to the large mansion towards the back of the sector wall.

"The Don's mansion- he's why we're here, actually." Shelly giggled. "Cloudy came up with a great plan, and he and his goons getting in the way."

"You're not going to kill them are you?" Alison balked.

"No- of course not!" She snorted as if it was the most ridiclous thing she ever heard. "We're recruiting!"

"What?" Alison blinked.

"Rule of the slums; power in numbers." Shelly grinned madly. "Working men are always better than dead men- it takes more than just brute stregnth and weapons to be a top dog here, honey."

"Huh." Alison nodded, "What are the other rules then?"

"Ask Xing- he loves to give lectures about that stuff." She snickered, leading her into a building that appeared to be a makeshift weapon's store. "Take a look around honey- get anything you like."

Alison took a breath, ignoring the eyes on her as he approached a swords rack, inspecting the blades that looked a little flismy with a forwn. Drrifting about- she froze when something caught her eyes- and to her surprise it was a lagre wooden mallet, taller and larger than her head she took it into her hands, wincing when the rouch wood rubbed at her hand and gave it an experimental swing.

It felt nice.

"You sure are full of surprises, honey." Shelly giggled, reguarding her fondly. "Jeff, we'll take this one."

"Three thousand."

"Ot's just a peice of wood." Shelly scoffed, sudenly cold. "My rifle is worth evry single peice of garbage here, and you want to charge three thousand?" She hiffed, and the mna- Jeff's nostril's flared.

"Two thouand."

"One thousand."

"Fiteen hundred."

"One thousand."

"Twelve hundred- and that's as low as I'm going to go." Jeff snarled.

"Well honey, why didn't you just say so." Shelly prurred, forking over the gil with a cold smile and struting out the door, Alison sheepishly flowing her.

"Wow- that was amazing." She breathed.

"Rule number three," Shelly winked, "Drive a bargin."

She was definintely going to ask Xing about those rules when she got back.

When they did return with a great deal of wandering around Cloud's room- wich doubled as his 'office and research space' was their first stop. "Find something intresting." He set down the black pen he was using and leaned back in his chair- suddenly seeming so much older.

"There's four guys by the gym, six by the honey bee in, three by the clothes shop, four by the materia shop and eight at the inn, with a mansion with a security guard staton at the front with tow lookouts on front balcony's- none at the side though." Shelly quickly explained, leaving Alison in bewilderment.

Wow, Shelly certainly knew what she was doing...

"Hmm... any other entry points?" Cloud rubbed his chin thoughtfully, reminding Alison of those bad guys who did the exact same thing in cheesy action films the guys made her watch.

"Possibly a basemnet, but too much garbage is in the way so I can't tell if there's a window."

"Probally not." Cloud sighed. "Corneo is know for his love for girls and torture." He scowled. "If he's torturing people, it's probaly in the basement."

"How do you figure?"

"Come on Shelly, don't you watch horror moivies." Cloud drawled with a wry smile. "The freaky stuff is always in the basement."

Somehow, Cloud seemed eeirly right.

"So we shake their faith and reel them in, right?" Shelly snorted, rolling her eyes at Cloud's antics.

"Exactly." Cloud smile tunred a little more gueniine, and his gaze shifted to Alison. "Nice choice."

Dumbly, she looked back and forth between the blonde and her oversize mallet. "Oh! Uh- thank you."

Shelly squealed, digging through a shopping bag and pulling out the blue hoodie. "And isn't this just adorable! I think it really suits Choco!"

"Its cute..." Cloud said- though he looked distant. "Bunnies..." He muttered.

What was with that reaction?

"Why don't you change." Shelly leaned close, whispering into her ear; "there's someone he has to see again- they used to play with bunnies together."

Understanding dawned, and she sent a curious look to Cloud, who looked as if her were caught so deep in his thoughts he wouldn't come out and it was... scary.

"I-I'll go get changed then." She stuttered, leaving the room and walking to her room.

She really had no buisness with these people, she realized solemnly. Hugging her clothes a little closer to her chest she frowned, because it was too bad too, they all seemed like nice people, but she just didn't fit.

"Hey!"

"Ah!" She snapped her head up, to see Xing looking down at her- when did he get in front of her!?- with a brow raised questioningly. "Oh, um sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?" He snorted. "You didn't do nothin'- unlike that bastard." He sent a playful glare to Vincent who looked back at him with bemusement.

"I simply stated that if you were more resposible you would have no trouble convincing Shelly to budget appropriately." He said cooly, hiding his smirk in the collar of his cloak.

"Shut up ya smug idiot." Xing grumbled. "Well it looks like she only went to wall market." He mused, glancing down at the clothes in Alison's arms. "What did ya two do?"

Hesitantly, she debated weather or not to tell Xing what she knew, so instead she only said; "Umm... we talked about boys."

"Huh?" Xing blinked in bewilderment. "Really?"

"They are you women after all." Vincent said, though he only seemed half convinced.

"Oh and she said to ask you somehting about the rules of the slums, or somehting like that."

Xing's demenour changed almost instantly, andhe practically glowed as he smiled down at her like a child in a candy store. "Really!?"

"Yeah b-but I have to go change and meet up with her so..."

Xing actually pouted, his entire body slumped over as he ran a hand though his unruly hair. "I guess I can wait till later..." He grumbled.

"Never mind that; what of our little competition at the shooting range?"

"I will beat you!" He declared, dashing off past her.

"What is Cloud planning?"

Alison nearly stumbled as she was about to take a step. "Huh?"

Vincent gave her a peculiar glance, before rasing a hand that was... completly metal. "This is what happend to me after years of experimentation under Hojo- believe me when I say that I would do anything for Cloud to never experiance this misery; now, tell me what he is planning?"

"I don't know a lot but..." She admitted softly, suddenly feeling very greatful she had been cast aside and neglected. "Soemthing to do about 'shaking the faith' of Corneo's men."

Vincent didn't say anything except disappear from sight, leaving Alison hoping she made the right choice as she entered her room to change.

When she managed to find her way back with the help of some guy named Benny Cloud was stilll sitting at his desk except he way laying his head down on it while Shelly laughed hytsterically, while she was curious what happened, she had a feeling she'd end up like Cloud if she did ask.

The blonde glanced up and Alison blushed feeling him shamelessly checking her out. "You do look cute."

"Thank you!" She stuttered, wincing at how pathetic that sounded.

But he gave her a small smile, easing her nerves as she decided to make herself comfortable on his couch. "So, how would you feel if I suggested you become a yakuza?"

Alison's eyes widened, stopping herself from replying she carefully thought it over. While the prospect of becoming a criminal didn't seem at all that appealing, she still had nowhere to go back to- enspecially after she had run away, stealing her bother's clothes and cutting her hair, and there were pople like her; so it didn't seem at all that lonely.

She still barely knew them but... they just... were something she wanted to be apart of.

"I'd have a question." She admitted shyly. If he said no to this she had no choice to refuse.

"Shoot."

 _Here I go._

"I'll get paid enough to buy my own chocolate, right?"

Cloud blinked, his eyes widening comiclally before he leaned over and exploded into a fit of uncontrolable laughter.

"I'm serious!"

"Yes," He breathed, grinning widely. "You can get all the Chocolate you want Choco."

She knew without a doubt, she was absolutly blushing.

* * *

 **AN: We're baking a cake, bakomg a cake for a special birthday girl~... And now I'm signing... *sigh*.**

 **Anyways thanks for reading~**


	11. Chapter 11: Fan Show

**AN: Yeah, I know I messed up with that money bit in the last chapter, I fixed it ahaha. But anyways, you guys are awesome and thanks for all your support.**

* * *

Cloud sighed, shoving memories of Benjamin away as he worked; figuirng out how the hell he was going to devide funds into each individual need it was just... impossible. As much as he mussed the raven haired teenager and longed for somebody... Nibelhiem-ey... He still needed to focus on his work, he bent over his desk, glowering down at the papers before him.

"We could use some fire power-" Xing paused from trying to convince Choco into listening to his 'rules of the slums' lecture to the tired teenager who looked like she wanted nothing more to sleep. "Don't be scared to slurge a little there- but electric, gas and water are always a priority." He advised.

Alison watched as Cloud sighed once more, glancing to Vincent and Shelly who played a laguid game of chess on the floor, leaving Alison wishing she could curl up in her room and sleep. Hugging her dark legs close she looked up at Xing who turned to her, with his chest puffed out proudly and a finger pointed up as he began listing off his 'rules'.

"Where was I- oh yeah- rule number one; learn how to fight, but that's a no brainer." Xing huffed, scratching his cheek. "Well I don't think you'd have too much trouble since you've got that gigaintic fucker hammer-"

"Mallet." She corrected.

"Hammer's aren't double sided." Cloud added, not looking up from the paper he was writing on.

"Do I look like I give a shit?" Xing snorted, "Anywas you already know two and three, but four's tricky; trust everyone and no one."

"Uh... isn't that a little contridicting?" She bit her lip, glancing to Vincent who spoke up.

"It would be more appropriatly describe as trusting to an extent." Vincent pitched in smiling up at Shelly. "Check."

She grinned, moving her queen and beaming. "Checkmate."

Vincent blinked, stunned, before he shook his head. "It seems I'm still rusty."

"Shut it you stinking corpse, I'm talkin' here!" Xing snapped, but he didn't really seem like he meant it. "Anyways, rule number five is hoard appropriately. Having a lot of something is helpful in the log run, but too much can attract all the wrong kind of attention; theives, other gangs. It just get's ugly." He shuddered.

"He says that because he has an entire room full of mastered materia that a few of Corneo's men got into and sold." Shelly giggled. "He hunted it down so fast he almost made the poor men pee their pants."

"Those fuckers deserved what they got." Xing snapped bitterly."Anyways, rule number six is more of a 'code' than a rule." Xing shrugged, scratching his cheek. "If somebody dies there's usually a week or two long period of well... nothing. It's basically one giant funeral service, because no one else will give a shit if some little gansgter dies..." Xing finshed the sentence with a notable hint of sadness. "But Corneo is the only bastrad who doesn't follow the week of mourning."

"This Corneo guy is becoming more and more of a scum bag the more I hear about him." Alison frowned.

"I like this kid." Xing grined, playfully nudging Vincent's leg.

"She's acceptable." The gunner offered a small smile that made her beam at praise.

"Well anyways, seven kind of elaborates on what happenes if rule six is broken- it's basically a get away with anything card. Eight is you don't mess with a pimp's girls, casue those guys are the real bastards." Xing sighed. "That means be careful around the Honey Bee Inn and Prostitutes."

"Ummm... I'm a girl."

"You'd be surprised." Xing chuckled, and Alison's eyes almost budged out of her skull. "Anyways, nine is basic- protect your family; all this-" Xing made a wide guesture. "Is family, got it kid?"

"I think I can live with that."

"Ha, well I guess I'll have to save ten for later then."

"Why not tell me now?"

"Ten differs from gang to gang," Vincent spoke up, taking Shelly's rook. "So being told the tenth rule, or knowing it makes you a high ranking member in the organization. Cloud, Shelly, Xing and Benny are the only people who know the Ling's tenth code."

"What about you?"

"I am not yakuza." Vincent chuckled. "Therefore I may never possibly learn the tenth code."

"You, lying bastard." Xing snorted. "You could probally give Benny the scare of his life an find out that way."

"I could." He admitted. "But the it'd be too easy."

"Fucking masochist." Xing grumbled the curse under his breath, sitting down on the couch with a scowl.

"Well you're all crazy; so I'm going to get some sleep." Alison sighed after a long minuet of comfortable silence. "

"G'night." Cloud absently waved, and the other mumbled other farewells as she returned to her room.

 _Clatter._

Alison stiffened, sending a wary glance to the door she walked past, a light glow shillouetting a figure behind the paper door. As quickly as she could, she quietly retrived her mallet from her room, returning with it raised and sliding the door open.

"Don't move, and turn around slowly!"

The masked man stiffened, slowly turning and raising his hands, brown eyes wide through the whole of his mask. He moved- and Alison wasted no time slaming her mallet at his feet, cracking the wooden floor- materia rattling on their shelves. "Whoa! What the heck is your problem lady?!"

"I said don't move!"

"What the hell- hey!" She heard Xing behind her, and the perpetrator stiffened, glancing around and ready to bolt at the nearest opurtunity. "Awe, not this shit again." He grumbled, stepping past Alison and grabbing the man by the neck. "Alright, how'd you get in here, before I let my boys beat your brains out, 'n who do ya work for?"

"Corneo." He grunted, trying to squirm away from Xing and lean away from the hand trying to take off his mask. "Can you let me go now!?"

"Ha, nice try kid." Xing snorted, peeling away the mask to reveal a young face as the dark skinned boy glowered up at him. "Damn, you really are just a kid."

"What of it- I still managed to break in here ya know!" He snapped, still trying to escape Xing's grip.

"Yeah, yeah, what did the bastard ant anyways?" Xing huffed, pushing him back so he fell on his backside.

"What makes you think I know- I was just doing it to get paid." He fumed, shrieking when Vincent apperead behind him. "First hammer hppy lady and know this guy- what the hell is up with you people!?"

"Why don't you just tell us your name." Cloud spoke up, kneeling by the teenager who's eyes widened when he saw the blonde.

"Y-yo what the hell?" He stuttered, "you one of them SOLDIERs or something?"

"Your name." Cloud repeated patiently, causing the boy to swallow thickly.

"Xavier. It's Xavier."

* * *

Xavier knew he was not having a lucky day- first that hammer chick tried to kill him and then that ghost guy popped up, and then he learned that Corneo was right! The yakuza had a SOLDIER, the wierdo knelt next to him, an odd look on his face as his eyes glowed eeirly.

And it was terrifying.

Not that Xavier would ever admit that he was terrified for his life right now, for his baby brother's sake, but damn there was something seriosuly wrong with these people- they weren't normal!

"Corneo said something to his guys about 'sending a message'." Xavier contiuned, hoping they wouldn't kill him after he told them this. "Cause he overheard somethin' about some yakuza hanging around his territory."

"Oops." The red head giggled while mallet girl looked down at her feet. "I guess we were caught."

"Damn it Shell, what the hell were you two doing?" The Wutain snapped, sending a glare to the woman named 'Shell'.

"Well..." Mallet girl rubbed her arm sheepishly, looking back and forth between the woman in the weird corset and coat and the SOLDIER guy next to him.

"We were going to get back your terrirtory." The blonde asnwered and Xavier groaned- the last thing he wanted was to be anywhere near a turf war.

"Cloud." The wutain sighed.

Cloud? What the hell was that kind of name?

"You're lucky I'm pissed because of this idiot- I'm in." He flashed a feral grin and Xavier wished ghost guy would stop staring at him so he could run away. "Now, what do ya want to do with this punk?"

"He's going to help us break into Corneo's mansion." The blonde grinned and Xavier hung his head in dread. "And steal everything."

Yep, today was not a lucky day.

Xavier hung by the blonde- who had the weirdest name ever; Cloud Strife, a little longer, never losing sight of the guy's ridiculous gravity defying hair when he asked; "What's with all that materia anyway?"

The blonde glanced back, his lips twiching upwards the tiniest bit as he replied; "It's all mastered."

"All of it!?" Xavier gaped. He was pretty sure he saw a few Alls' in there- and those could go for _millions_ if they really were mastered.

"All of it." Cloud's eyes glowed a bit more intensely, Xavier thought he found it pretty funny, but the guy was as expressive as soft bread.

"Wow, I wouldn't even have taken them back to Corneo if I knew that." He admitted, imagining how he could easily purchase a house of the plate for he and his brother and even get Miller into school. "I guess that's why he didn't tell me."

"M'hm." Was all the blonde said in response.

Mabye less expressive than a brick, Xavier thought. "So what's up wtih you guys? You all rejects and misfits or something?"

"I guess we could be called that." Cloud shrugged. "But we're mostly family."

Wow, that was some crazy family.

"I guess that makes sense, since I got a little brother of my own." He admitted. "How old are you anyways?" Casting a glance back at him, Xavier waiting patiently for a response.

"Fifteen, why?"

Xavier reeled back, his mouth fallling open at the relevation the guy was _younger_ than him. "Holy crap- you're younger than me!" He balked, "And I'm seventeen."

"Same as Alison." He mused, turning back on his heel and continuing to walk.

"Who?"

"I believe you happliy dubbed thee 'hammer lady'- and it's a mallet, by the way." Cloud gave him a wry smile, "But we call her Choco."

Weird. Xavier frowned, following the blonde into a room that looked life an office. "What's this place?"

"My room." He answered, sitting down behind the desk where various papers were neatly stacked onto. "But since those slave drivers keep dumping their work on me, it may as well be my office."

Oh, so those things were bills, Xavier mused, sitting himself down on the long couch pushed up against the wall. "So, why'd ya keep me alive?"

"Working men are more useful than dead men." The blonde swiftly replied, his voice muffled because he was looking down at the papers. Was this guy really fifteen?

"Huh, way different from Corneo then."

"Corneo is just a scumbag- a pitiful excuse of a man." The blonde scowled, continuing to scribble with a black pen.

"A scumbag who makes lots of money." Xavier pointed out.

"I guess, but anyone can make money." The corner's of Cloud'slipos twiched upwards. "If they know where to look."

Xavier couldn't argue with that. "So, what are you looking to steal?"

"Guns, mostly." The blonde rubbed his chin in a way that reminded Xavier of those bad guys in the comics he collected for his brother. "Maybe a few valuables, but I'm more intrested in selling those and decreasing his man power."

"Oh, so you're gonna go around bringin' heat on his goons until they start getting bitter and leave?" Xavier mused- this guy really did work like a gang boss, and it was almost terrifiying.

"That's the plan- and hopefully it'll lighten up security on the mansion when we raid it."

"What do ya need all that money for anyways?"

"... An entrepreneurship." Was his hesitant reply. "And... I want to see someone again... but I can't do it like this." He sighed, leaving back in his chair; suddenly years older. "And there's another person I want to talk to... but he wouldn't give me the time of day if-" Cloud went rigid, staring wide up at Xavier who had move, placing a hand over his head an ruffling his hair.

"Don't think too hard about it kiddo," He grinned. "They'll come around."

Cloud wrinkled his nose endearling and glowered up at him with a mixture of a scowl and a pout. "I'm not a kid."

"Just tell yourself that kiddo." Xavier snickered, trapping the blonde in a headlock and giving one of his best noogies.

Cloud sighed, attaching his swords to his waist and leaving his room where Xavier slept, sending a knowing grin to Xing who leaned on the wall outside- evesdropping no doubt. "Sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

"So you were going to tell me?" Xing raised an eyebrow, then shook his head with a sigh. "You know why I was against you doing this?"

"Xing, you're not going to die anytime soon." Cloud frowned, looking up at his uncle.

"And I don't plan to kid, but I'm getting older and I don't know if I can keep up with my boys anymore." He sighed. "I know it's selfish, but I want you to be able to take care of them if I'm not around anymore."

"I will." He promised, lowering his head in sinciertity. "They're my family too."

Xing clapped him on his shoulder, leading him down the hall with a small smile. "That's good to hear kid, but what do you really think about those two?"

Cloud fell silent, thinking over what he was going to say and carefully answered; "Alison's still a rookie... I don't think she's ever killed anyone either." Cloud shoved away memories of slashing at the tropper's throat with his blade. "Xavier isn't loyal to anybody- except his brother probaly. Though they're both nice additions."

"I know I said I wouldn't ask, but why are you doing all this?" Xing inquired, opening the door to the small room he used for meditation and alone time.

"To be honest." Cloud paused, wondeirng if he should really say this. "A while after I woke up I just wanted to talk to Sephiroth and Benjamin... but I don't think that's the case anymore." He took a deep breath, preparing himself for what he was about to say next. "A while before all this crazy shit happened I was reading a diary my father left me and... I know about _The End_."

Xing sat down on his mat, an unreadble expession as he process what Cloud had just told him.

The End was a series of events fourty years ago detailing the death of King Skylar the Fourth, and his fall from power at the hands of his court, rumored to have been driven to insanity through an ancient illness from two thousand years ago and died from it, but during their tryanny Cloud read all about how each race was massacred, leaving only human's and a few other species to repopulate the planet. He also read about how they abused the power of the lifestream and nearly destroyed the planet.

Entire kingdoms and villages left in ruin... and Cloud... he wanted... "What I really want is the world." He admitted. "It's pretty rotten of me, but I know what almost happened and the misery it caused... But all that technology... Everything... I want to bring it back... And ya know..." he blushed. "Being royalty couldn't hurt."

"Oh Levithan," Xing sighed, patting the spot next to him. "You're too nice for your own good ya know," He began once Cloud sat himself down. "To be honest there's a lot of people who don't deserve that- and hell, this planet could rot for all I care... but if it's what you really want... I'll help you. I'm sure the others will say the same thing."

"Thank you." Gods, he really wanted to cry in joy. "Thank you."

"Awe, come 'ere." Xing grinned, wrapping an arm around Cloud's shoulder. "Don't thank me yet kid, you're not anywhere close to owning the world yet."

"I don't want to own it." Cloud whined, glaring at Xing when the man pulled on his cheeks and pinched his nose. "I just want to give it a little push in a better direction."

"Whatever you say, you royal brat." Xing snorted, ignoring the people standing at the door.

"You two done with your bromance yet?" Shelly teased, hand on her hip. "Come on, I want to take over the world already!" She bounced up and down excitedly. "Oh, just think of all the adorable shoes I could buy!"

"I ain't really sure what the heck is up with you wierdos but..." Xavier sighed, offering a small smile. "Ruling the world sounds like a pretty sweet deal to me."

"I suppose I could assist after I kill Hojo." Vincent mused. "Though I'm not very familar with world conquest, I suppose it would not hurt to offer my assitance."

"I still get chocloate right?" Choco inquired, peering around the door curiously.

"This should be intresting, at least." Cloud grinned, letting out a small breath.

* * *

Xaiver's little brother's name was Miller- though the two weren't actually related, they had ran away from their foster home becasue Miller was being neglected and both had been on their own together ever since.

"Hello." The seven year old greeted, making a small waving motion with his hand. "Miller help, other kids want to help too."

"Uhh," was Cloud's eloquent response, thrown off by the small child's thick accent. "Thanks?"

"Do not worry, other kids helpful. Bring information for sky king."

"Yeah, he talks weird." Xavier sighed, ruffling Miller's fluffy orange hair. "There used to be an old lady who baby sat him when I went to go steal stuff and her accent rubbed off on him."

"Awe, isn't he just adorable?" Shelly cooed, giving Miller a crushing hug. "Useful too, I can't count how many times people ignore children running around- enspecially if they're orphans."

"Sea lady nice." Miller said, returning Shelly's hug. "Pryo weird though."

"Well gee kid, thanks." Xing drawled, rolling his eyes. "So who should we beat bloody frist?"

"Let's go to other sectors first." Cloud gave Miller's hair a ruffle and knelt by him. "If you meet any other kids with information for us, could you go to Benny and tell him to write it all down?"

"Miller can do that for Sky King." He nodded, smiling and leaning into Cloud's touch.

"Thank you."

"Sky man welcome."

Jumping across the rooftops, Cloud breathed in the thick air deeply, his enchanced senses making him cringe at the smell of garbage, but he contiuned, scouring the ground below for Croneo's men, stoping when he stood over a group that stood nonchalantly and talking amognst themselves.

"I'll take care of these guys, you move on ahead." Xing grinned, jumping down and flashing the goons a predetory smile. "Oi! I hear you boss want's to start trouble with my boys!" He roared as his fist slamed into the jaw on one. "You tell him if he wants to start messing with my clan he better think of somehting better!"

"Lets go." Cloud smiled, leaping across to the next building, stoping a few ways to see a few more spray painting Corneo's symbol onto the building.

"Can I get this one?" Alison whispered, "I'll meet up with you guys later."

"Go for it." Alison beamed at that, hopping down and swinging her mallet onto her shoulder- and Cloud had to admit the blue bunny hood and rodent fashioned mask suited her well as she swung her mallet into the side of a ganster. "This is for messing with my family!"

"She'll be fine," Shelly assured with a wink. "She did get into SOLDIER after all."

Cloud nodded following her to the next sector- the entrance of wall market and turned to Vincent and Xavier. "Good luck."

"Put on a show!" Xavier grinned, shaking his cans of spray paint enthusaisically. "Let's go ghost guy."

"Ghost guy?" Vincent wrinkled his nose, following Xavier quietly, and leaving Cloud and Shelly on their own.

"I'd hate to seem lazy." Shelly giggled. "So let's have some fun Big Boss!" She beamed, carwheeling over to a group of Corneo's men loitering in front of a stand, using her rifle as a pole to valt her heeled feet into the chest of a ganster. "Come and get it boys!"

And an all out brawl exploded.

Cloud side stepped a charging grunt, tripping him and giving a rough kick to another he flew back and fell to the ground with a groan of pain. " _Don't kill anyone_." He had said, finishing up marking the areas on the map of the MIdgar slums of where Corneo's partols would be.

" _Why not_?" Xing frowned, studying the map thoughtfully. " _One or two would be have the same effect, maybe speed it up a little."_

" _I want to take over the world without taking a life_." Cloud smiled, wondering why they were all staring at him with such deadpan expressions.

" _You ask for too much_." Shelly drawled, reassembeling the parts of Carmen skillfully. " _It's sweet, but too much."_

" _With a few exceptions_." Cloud sighed, scratching his cheek sheepishly. _"I know I can't stop_ _ **every**_ _death, but I'd like to prevent it if I could."_

" _I agree with Cloud."_ Choco grinned. " _I don't really feel comfortable with the idea of killing someone."_

" _Well it'll be one for the history books at least_." Xavier snorted.

" _So naive_." He barely heard Vincent whisper.

Cloud was snapped out of his thoughts by the deafening sound of gun, and he slashed the approaching bullet away with his sword, kicking the gunman in the chest and sending him crahing back into a building.

"Focus boss!" Shelly yelled, knocking two head's together and spinning around to kick at another. Cloud had to admire her fighting style; she moved in long motions, never stoping and never slowing almost like she was dancing.

In high heels.

Cloud's ankles throbbed in sympathy.

The hooligans grew more wary to approach when the number of unconcious and groaning bodies outnumbered them, and Cloud took this oppurtunity to give thema show. "Listen closely! And listen well!"

He seemed to have their attention, so he continued; "I am the future head of the yakuza Ling clan; and I assure you that defeating these men were no trouble for me or my company- if your boss, Corneo, or any other who wishes to challenge me or my clan- my family, you're welcome to try." He laughed bitterly. "I can promise that that you'll suffer a fate worse than death."

"Or..." He said after they gave each other uneasy glances. "You could promise your loyalty to me- and when Corneo and his supporters fall I can promise you all more than he could ever offer. We're going to change the world- you can either be part of it, watch from the sidelines, or burn with our enemies. Now I ask you to return to whomever you'll retunr to- weather it's to a family, a friend or a surperior, and tell them the world _is_ going to change. I'll make sure of it."

And with that he spun on his heel and walked away.

"You heard him chumps! Spread the word!' He heard Shelly bark, and the busy streets exploded into whispers as a smoke bomb rolled to his feet, allowing him to leave undetected and jump onto a roof where Shelly sat, admiring their work. "Xing called, said the boys are alreadying moving into the new territory. After that demonstration people will be even more willing to give protection money and offer goods."

"Hn." He said as he sat down next to her, watching the world slowly return back to normal as the flow of traffic contiuned. "It wasn't enough."

"It is for now." Shelly giggled, hugging him close. "You have a silver tongue baby boy, they'll know when the time comes." She assured, bumping shoulders with him. "We better get back."

"Alright."

Everyone was in his office, Choco sat in fornt of his laptop, bouncing excitedly. "They're already talking about it on the internet! Everything is exploding!" She beamed, perking up as Cloud sat down at his desk. Yesh, it was only a matter of time before his ass would be glued to it.

"Look Cloud! Vincent posted something in some chat rooms and they already made a website with a video!" She said, setting down the laptop before him "The discussion is huge- people are trying to guess what you meant and everything!"

"If there's one thing Shinra can't control, it's the internet." Vincent said, smiling to himself.

"I wish I thought of it." Cloud chuckled, reading the descussions in the chats a little. "Oh please no." He begged.

"Hm?" Xing leaned over, smiling in bemusemnt as he read. "'This guy looks so awesome', "yeah that coat is cool', 'so is that chick', 'I heard that they both took on a hundred guys by themselves', 'it's true I saw it with my own eyes', 'what should their fanclub name be?' 'Didn't he say that he was part of some yakuza clan? What's a yakuza? 'Wutain gansters', 'whoa cool!'." He snickered. "Oh god, these names are horrible."

He truned the laptop, typing into his computer 'just leave it as the "Ling Yakuza clan- that's our real name anyways.'

The computer exploded with notifications.

"Fuck." He paled.

Shelly snickered, pushing him aside. "Yes, the one and only, darling, we have many members ;), try LING YAKUZA FANS, it sounds cute. PS: awe thank you darlings, I know I'm cool- Shell."

The computer exploded with beeps once more. "Awe, they're all so sweet. Look at this one 'could you guys hold your own with the SOLDIER elite?'."

"Well I wouldn't know darling, we've never met them, lol. But we would sure give them a fight if they wanted- Shell.'" She said as she typed.

"Oh gods, she's going to be on that thing all the time." Xing sighed.

"SOLDIER elite?" Cloud raised an eyebrow, staring at the computer screen.

"You don't know?" Alison raised an eyebrow. "They're the best of the best in SOLDIER, General Sephiroth and his two commanders; Angeal Hewely and Genesis Rhapsodos. They have fanclubs and everything. They're rumored to be the strongest men alive on the planet."

"Strongest men alive..." Cloud repeated thoughtfully. "Alright! Now I'm worked up." He cheered, grinning madly. He wanted to fight them so bad now- partly curious as to how strong he had become when since he left Nibelheim, and part wanting to prove to himself that he could protect eveyone. He wouldn't be weak anymore.

He was strong.

* * *

Shelly sighed, laying on Cloud's couch and marveling at how odd he was- after coming to some resolve he had gone through paper work like it was magic- cause they boy sure was a nartual with materia- grinning like an idiot until he had admitted his cheeks hurt and ran off to do kata practice.

She focused on her computer screen, reading the chatroom.

 _Sephylover223_ -those fangirls sure were scary- worte; _how exactly does a yakuza clan work?_

 _LOVELESSFORLIFE: Yeah, I never heard of that before._

 _Fluffypuffy004: didn't that guy say something about being a clan head?_

Shelly prused her lips as she typed her reply. _YAZUKA_LING_CLAN: Normally it works similar to a military, with the clan family at the top, and other yakzua beneath them of capable skills, though that doesn't nessisarily mean they're inferior in any way since they'll take over if anything happens to the yakuza family and replace it if nesseary._

 _Leadership of the clan usually falls to the oldest son, but some have been known to have capable female leaders in Wutai, and the clan head selects the next leader, usually during a meeting where all member's are present._

 _There are two Ling Clans; the original in Wutai, and the one in Midgar. -Shell_

 _LOVELESSFOREVER: So it's like a guild?_

 _Silverelitemeber88:No dummy it's a gang_

 _Sephylover223: Have you ever killed anyone?_

Shelly cringed and quickly typed in a reply; _most of us yes, and it was wrong of us, but our Big Boss doesn't want us to kill anymore. He's such a cutue 3! -Shell._

 _Keppers_of_honor_chairwoman: It's very honorable of you to admit that and try to change your behavier, though I am curious as to weather or not you'd really like a fanclub to be named LING YAKUZA FANS-KH Chairwoman._

 _Silver_ELITE_Chairwoman: I think it's endearing._

 _REDLEATHER_Chairwoman: Plus it's too late, some of our memebers already made the fanclub and messaged the creator of this website to post a link detailing information on how to join; we agreed to leave additional information up to you._

Shelly blinked, wondering if they were the actual big leauges on the internet, how lucky were they to draw their attentiion so quickly.

 _LOVELESSFORLIFE_ : _OMG, I'm so joining right now!_

 _YAZUKA_LING_FANS_CHAIRWOMAN: I'm looking forward to working with you all in the future. And it would be great if you emailed me to send me some information. Just use the link, and message me, the same goes for fans who what to subscribe for newsletters._

 _Sephylover223:I guess you guys are pretty cool_

 _Silverelitemeber88: Subscribed._

 _Keppers_of_honor_chairwoman: Though I myself am curious as to what your clan heads dreams are._

 _LING_YAKUZA_CLAN: Awe, thank you darlings you all are too sweet. Big Boss mostly wants everybody to find happiness (I know, so cute, right!?) And I'll be sure to message you_ _+YAZUKA_LING_FANS_CHAIRWOMAN-_ _Shell_

 _LING_YAKUZA_CLAN_2: Shell, 'BIg Boss' says get off the computer, he wants you to do your own paperwork for once. Choco~_

 _LING_YAKUZA_CLAN: Oops, I'll email you later darling! -Shell._

* * *

Cloud frowned, blinking at his computer that was opened to a web page feauturing a post on the website community someone had made a few days ago he and Vincent were monitering while Xing, Shelly and Alison broke in the new yakuza and Xavier scouted around the slums with patrols with Miller and the other children of the slums. But the scariest thing was that they somehow managed to get pictures of them all moving about the slums.

 _YAZUKA_LING_FANS_CHAIRWOMAN_

 _Thanks to_ _information provided by a high ranking yakuza member, now known to be the red haired female in the video of the mystericous man she refered to as 'Big Boss' (his real name and alias has yet to be discovered) the members of the Ling Clan in the honroable cause of assisting funding for condtruction in the slums, antidotes for mako sickness, adiction and poisoning, and alternative methods of energy such as coal and oil instead have mako have been undertaken, and in this newsletter descriptions of prominent members have been given._

 _Strife: Despite popular opinon various membes of the clan admit that their next clan head is very handsome and young; the rabbit member 'Choco' states that Strife still has boyish features and 'a mixture of masculine and soft traits'._

 _The Current Clan Leader: Left Wutai sometime ago and oversees the MIdgar Ling yakuza clan, and various local athority reports describe him as a 'pryomaniac with a love for guns and small fluffy animals' feared by the smaller gangs and known for his trademark 'death mask'._

 _Shell: A female mercenary reccently turned yakuza, has worked for the clan before, but Shell details on how much she adores 'cute clothes' and 'adorable kids' and also reluclulantly admitted to leaving her abuse husband when she joined the clan, and that she is a former mako addict as well._

 _Note: Per Shell's request you can find links to websites and help groups; most are completely anonymous, but if you find yourself dealing with mako addiction or any violence in any domestic or romantic setting- or even dealing with bullies in school, it's important to seek some kind of help before the situation escelates to the point of being too late._

 _Choco: This chocolate loving bunny rabbit is one of the newer members of the clan family, weilding a giant mallet this little bunny rabbit may be adorable, but isn't one to mess with. She admitted to being a former Shinra employee, but won't provide any details._

 _The Theif: Not much is know about this new member, though those who work with him (names not provided for various reasons) describe him as 'a caring big brother to look up to'. and rumored to donate to various orphanges througou the slums._

"Scary." He shuddered, haphazardly watching the chat discussion below.

Yep, fans were absolutely terrifying.

* * *

 **AN: So that's pretty much it for introducing OC's. So my updates might be a little slower cause the school year is starting up and I have to combat my mortal enemy; homework.**

 **Anyways, thanks for reading.**


	12. Chapter 12: Shinra Show

**Guest: Bwahhahaha, I laughed so hard when I read that comment because I had already written this chapter, and my friend went 'BABAM! HOW DO YA LIKE THEM GREENS!?' While I was just plain old confused trying to figure out what she meant by that. (She told me that she was referencing the greens that Chocobos like to eat.)**

 **RandomAsRainbows: I do, I just haven't been using it, so I don't have any excuses really. I've been truing to bribe my friends into beta reading though. And thanks for pointing all that out for me.**

* * *

Sephiroth entertained himself with the idea of dangling his blade over the egde of Shinra tower's roof- except having the fat man himself dangling on it by the mid of his stomach. He cast a glance to Genesis who wasn't even bothering to pay attention to the meeting as he read LOVELESS, and even Angeal was starting to look bored.

Sephiroth wasn't even sure why he had to attend to the meeting- though a few days ago he'd been bothered by something... unusual.

It was a field of flowers and ice- albiet it was hazy, and the image kept quivering the closer he tried to bring himself to it, but he paused upon seeing two people.

The blonde reaper was sitting on the edge of the ice, diping his feet into the water where colorful fsih nibbled on his feet and a young woman clad in nothing but pink coral clinging to her dark skin; he couldn't hear the converstaion, but just as quick as he saw them they had disappeared the shrill ringing of his alarm clock in his ears.

Sephiroth had never been woken by his alarm clock before.

Usually he woke around the first light of dawn, only to shut off the clock ten minuets later when he was already dressed and prepared for a long day of work.

It was a pleasant change.

Thought feelings of content were disappearing as the meeting dragged on and he almost groaned when the president's video chat system vibrated. "I told you not to call me unless it was important!" The president snapped, glowering down at a shaking Corneo.

" _It is important_!" He wailed, making a few of the executives- and Genesis- cringe. "Its hell down here I tell you!" He jumped and whimpered when gunshots echoed in the background. " _First they stole everything! Then they ruin all my drugs! And now all my men and whores I rebelling! Do something_!"

" _Oh, so we're just whores now_?" A woman's voice snapped, and Corneo spun around with his hands raised.

" _Lana darling... Don't do this..._ "

" _You heard him girls- get him_!" Corneo yelped, dashing away with more than a dozen if skimpy clad bee girls despite Sephiroth's bemusement at witnessing such an event the video feed disappeared, revealing the red face of the President seething in anger.

The device beeped once more and a man came into view- he wore a black leather coat with a fur edge, a worn leather gas mask over the lower half of his face and his a googles glowing blue. " _Ah... Interesting_." The distorted voice mused.

"Who are you!?" The fat man roared, glowering down at the screen.

"... _Hm... I'm not sure I'm obligated to answer that but... You're welcome to call me Strife."_

Strife? What kind of name was that.

" _I'm the next clan head of the Ling yakuza clan- criminals, cretin, scum. You may call me that as well, if you'd prefer._ " The man continued. " _Or the descendent of Skylar the Fourth... I suppose that makes my Skylar the Sixth..._ " He mused, and almost every face sitting at the executive table paled.

"I-impossoble!" Heidegger stuttered, "the entire royal family was murdered before The End!"

Genesis's head snapped up at that, suddenly just as intrigued as Sephiroth and Angeal were when the words left his mouth.

" _They were... But would this be enough proof_?" He raised a hand, and between his fingers was a ring; the metal wolf's lips were curled back into a snarl, lifeless eyes glowing up at nothing and everything in particular. " _I see that it is_." The man chuckled coldly. " _This is a warning lady and gentlemen_ ," Scarlet turned a shade palar at being so pointedly addressed, " _stand in my way and you will suffer. I promise you that._ " And the transition ended.

"T-t-that's ridiculous... He couldn't p-p-posibly be a descendent..." Palmer started, but his voice quickly cracked and trailed off.

"I admit; I'm horribly confused. " Director Lazard spoke up, Reeve Tusei, nodding in agreement.

"The End;" Genesis starred, staring out the window thoughtfully, "was the worst global massacre that occurred forty years ago, starting with the murder of Skylar the Fourth, othwise known as the great king who united the world."Genesis sneered. "Though of course this was erased from records by yours truly."

"Watch your tongue Rhapsodos!" Shinra barked, though the nervous sweat he had and his trembling hands ruined the effect.

"Though there is more," Genesis smirked, "the king's court were put on trial before The Judges, who deemed that the court had been driven to insanity by a two thousand year old disease, and executed them for their transgressions and abuse of what is know today as mako."

"I still don't understand how all of this is relevant." Reeve sighed, rubbing his temples with a frown.

"The King's subjects were highly religious." Heidegger began shakily. "They had warriors who could lift moving mountains through a process similar to the way SOLDIERS are created, and valued natural mako and believed that abusing it was worth..." He swallowed thickly. "Death."

No wondered they feared this man.

Sephiroth smiled, pondering the strength of those warriors, wondering if they could even best him... "It'd be my esteem pleasure to engage this man in combat."

"That is if I don't find him first." Genesis grinned, eyes glinting challengingly.

"Didn't you say they had something similar to SOLDIER?" Lazard inquired curiously, lifting an eyebrow as Sephiroth's blood pounded in anticipation.

"Yes," Scarlet managed. "Documents describe it of an initiation process in the army recovered around the area of the Nibel mountain range; they would swim to the bottom of lakes where condensed mako would lie at the bottom, then they would swim up and have pure unaltered mako in their blood." She shuddered. "Demons in human skin that would ride into battle on the backs of monsters... giant machines that could destroy an entire town..."

"I wasn't aware mako had a density property." Angeal mused- the door opened and in walked the bastard child of the devil himself.

"Not necessarily," Hojo crackled, pushing his round glasses up on his nose. "After quite some time- usually a billion or two years mako's density will increase tenfold, and in another billion or so years- become a soild." He snicker. "I theorize this was how the land land we stand on formed- however it no longer holds any mako, obviously. Now what spurred this conversation?" He pattered past the three SOLDIERs, walking over to the end of the table with his usual slouch.

Nobody dared answered.

"From my understanding," Reeve cleared his throat. "A yakuza claimed to be the descendent of King Skylar The Fourth."

The reaction was almost immediate; Hojo stiffened, pressed his lips into a firm line and remained silent.

"P-professor, we aren't in any danger are we?" Shinra stuttered, attempting to hide his worry.

"How embarrassing." Hojo muttered, looking up to the fat pig and grinning; "unfortunately, you'll a die a horrible death." He paused thoughtfully. "Most of you- the specimen's abundance in humanity may factor into weather or not you'll die, so I suggest you act carefully." Hojo crackled.

"Specimen?" Lazard blinked, looking uneasy.

"Yes," the damned man laughed once more, "a 'failed experiment', you could say; but he seems to be the only successful one. "He mused.

"What is the meaning of this!?" Heidegger snapped, beads of sweat dripping down into his beard.

"I may have dabbled on some useless citizens as a threat to Skylar the City," Hojo snickered, and Sephiroth's gut writhed in disgust. "Including his son, who was injected with Sephiroth's cells... Thanks to that imbecile of a step father... Though they bothboth- father and son- already had Jenova cells when they were in the fetus..."

What?

"You did what?" Reeve balked, his face paling considerably.

"You heard me," Hojo rolled his eyes in annoyance, "though the others had bouts of incoherent ramblings about ' _repenting_ ' during certain periods, but otherwise they went on with their pitiful lives Specimen C remained unaffected, and S-cells dormant. I had labeled him as a failure." He laughed. "How ironic."

Sephiroth scowled, wondering why this man had even been brought into existence and resiting the temptation to draw masamune and end his miserable existence quickly. Ignoring the accusations pointed at Hojo by the ones fearing their lives, Sephiroth spun on his heel, leather coat swishing behind him as he stormed away, resisting the elementary urge to clench his fist and shout.

"Sephiroth," He heard Angeal call. "Don't do anything rash."

"Rash?" He snapped bitterly, funding around to see both of his friends- Angeal with a frown of concern, and Genesis with a small smirk playing on his lips- he laughed humorlessly and continued; "Me? The perfect specimen? Never."

" _My friend, the fates are cruel/There are no dreams, no honor remains_." Genesis quoted. "We're all monsters here."

They fell silent at that, allowing the truth to soak in so they could go back to playing diligent, obedient SOLDIERs to be used and discarded.

It was a sad and bitter truth.

* * *

Cloud sighed, sending an apologetic glance through his mask the bartender seemed to pick up on and wave him off as his boys let out a loud cheer, drunkenly hugging each other and trying to figure out if a fire extinguisher or a beer keg hurt more when it was slammed into your head.

He really hadn't wanted to go out with them- but they insisted because he was a 'workaholic' but the only reason his pen was glued to his hand was because everyone else refused to do their job! And to add to the fact it was nearly the early hours in the morning, and they had been going at it for _hours_.

"Lighten up kid!" Xing laughed, lifting his mask a little to sip on his sake. It was a god given miracle the man wasn't slurring and falling drunk on his ass yet."We're celebrating our new companionship!"

Cloud sent a glance to the former AVALANCHE members and the large man Barret who kept sending suspicious glares his way and a promising wave with his gun arm, making Cloud wish the man didn't want to shoot him ninety nine point eight of the time. "Yeah, my impending funeral service." He grumbled, running a hand over his hood.

"Chill, Barret's a cool guy." Xing snorted, shaking his head; "aren't you just thankful we smoothed everything over with Dyne and those Correl guys?"

"Well... The coal should help them back up on their feet... Dyne messages me saying a few oil rigs struck deep too." He mused. "Though I'm more concerned about Shelly's brother in Costa Del Sol. He's... Eccentric. And her son- I hear he's a turk."

"Boss, you're supposed to be drinking!" Choco beamed, giving him a playful shove. "Enough about work! Even Vincent is sitting back for once!"

"You heard her Big Boss!" Shelly teased, pinching his arm. "And don't you worry about my boys, they'll behave."

The blonde leaned back, sending another glance to Barret who was yelling at Vincent for being 'so damn creepy' and decided that maybe he could indulge in a drink or two as the bartender slid a glass of whiskey over to him.

Cloud took a quick chug, then cringed when the usual warmth when he sipped on liquor didn't appear. "I... Don't think I can get drunk." He said after his fortieth drink. Of course no one was listening, because Xing had gone off the flirt with a group of women, Choco was happily singing some provocative pop song on stage with Shelly who encouraged cheers by dancing some contemporary style Cloud didn't know well enough to care.

 _"What's up with that spikey haired kid anyway?"_ He heard Barret sighed, and Cloud perked up, thanking his enhanced hearing could pick up on he and Vincent's hushed conversation. "Is he really that guy who took on forty men with out drawing a sword?"

"I had doubt as well when I first met him." Vincent admitted. "But he's talented; I presumed it was his surrogate family that taught him."

"Well... I guess I can't argue, Cause little Marlene is safe, but he's barely older than her. And those damn Shinra bastards probably wouldn't even think twice about tearing him apart."

Cloud heard Vincent's deep chuckled, and he felt his hear warm at his next words; "certainly; but I have faith in Cloud to take care of himself as he does others. All we can offer is help when we can."

"Huh... You're one of those cool types too... Messing up my style." There was a pause. "Hey! You spikey haired bastard! I'm talking to you!"

Cloud turned, innocently smiling as if he hadn't been eavesdropping and made his way over to the table the two sat at. "Yes?"

Barret scowled looking as if he wanted nothing more to put holes in his torso, but said instead. "I guess you're okay. And... Thanks and all for helping me out." He grumbled. "And we're still taking down Shinra right!?"

"That was the agreement." Cloud nodded, sitting down. Elfe- the leader of the other AVALANCHE would probably be pissed that Barret defected with half her members when he promised a 'nonviolent', no mass killing solution to shutting down Shinra. But Cloud wasn't completely sure Barret would be up to the task of campaigning against the company yet. "You're up to the task?"

He rubbed the back of his head, nodding; "I ain't much for politics, but we had an agreement."

"The people will like that," Cloud assured, "its about time that someone gave it to them straight."

"You're damn right about that," Barret grinned visibly relaxing. "I just hope I don't snap on those greedy bastards taking advantage of the planet."

Cloud frowned at that, knowing that wasn't the real reason Barret had joined AVALANCHE. "Its alright, you can say that you're still pissed about Shirna burning the original Correl. I'm not exactly a saint either."

Vincent chuckled. "The public seems to think otherwise."

"Are you Strife?" A brunette inquired, a few other girls smiling at him from behind her.

"Yes?"

She leaned forward, and her hair feel into his vision as he felt her pull away the bottom half of his mask and place a delicate kiss on his cheek. "I'm Lana, we have to thank you for taking over the Honey Bee Inn."

"Its been so much better since Corneo left!" Another exclaimed, stepping forward to kiss him on the same cheek, cashing Cloud's blush to turn a deeper shade of pink.

"O-o-oh, it-ts no t-trouble." He stuttered, once they all gave him kisses and his face burned a deep red.

They gave him flirty waves, some giggling as they walked away, and Barret howled with laughter. "I guess you're still a kid after all." He murmured, leaving Cloud frowning and wondering what was it about him that made everyone call him a kid.

* * *

 _The_Yakuza_Ling_Fans_Chairwoman_

 _Officially the Ling Clan posses more than 98% of territory in the Midgar slums, 59% of drug trafficting has been reduced, and the clan has extended across the continent to Correl in an effort to help the town recover from a fire witnesses and townspeople say that the Shinra infantry and Scarlet- head of the weapons department- caused themselves._

 _Don Corneo went missing last night, and has been found this morning at Shinra headquarters, nude, and gagged he was quickly arrested for various crimes, and rumors state that Cornel even associated with President Shinra, but these have not been confirmed._

 _In other news, The Honey Bee Inn now is under yakuza management, and the Honey Bee's all state that their 'Big Boss' is a shy sweetheart, andand the establishment is to see a few changes in the near future, but promise that visits will be even more eventful. Speculation claimed that there is going to be an open bar and dance club opening, but no one has disclosed any details._

 _Strife and his company were spotted celebrating, and members state that half of AVALANCHE defected, and Barret Wallace- Correl's representative- has released a video statement regarding his partnership with the yakuza clan and the people of Correl have successful managed to strike oil- the fabled liquid resource rumored to be twice as potent as mako, and Coal mining as resumed in the town._ _Video link here_ _._

 _Also Choco and Shell were present and happily demonstrating their musical talents, unfortunately no quality video feed was recovered because the crowd was so loud, but you can view photos taken by fans_ _here_ _._

 _The current Ling Clan leader recently closed a deal with a weapon's company, with new designs reloading, firing, and aiming firearms have never been easier, since I myself was invited to come and test the prototypes._ _Video link here_ _._

Sephiroth looked up the screen to look up at Genesis, who had managed to worm his way out of Sephiroth's iron grip and open a tab leading to the webpage and sighing; "why are you showing me this?"

"Keep reading!" He hissed, ignoring the disapproving frown Angeal gave him as he stood behind Sephiroth. Reluctantly, he looked down at the third post and stiffened when he saw the pictures of the slums, infantry uniformed soldier's on the ground.

 _This morning the Shinra military moved into the slums, and the clan engaged them in battle with the help of the new AVALANCHE, various videos, photos, and eye witnesses report the average number of each soldier defeated. (Remarkably, none were killed, or died from wounds, and no members of the clan or AVALANCHE were injured fataly.)_

 _Strife: 247-285_

 _The Current Clan Head: 194_

 _Shell: 190-196_

 _Choco: 120-130_

 _The Theif: 80-100_

 _Barret Wallace: 140-160_

They crippled an entire battalion of soldiers? Sephiroth let out a breath, barely able to contain his excitement as he turned to Genesis who smirked down at him. "Who do you suppose will defeat the man first? You, the hero? Or will I triumph and take the title?"

"You can have the title," He sneered, standing abruptly, causing his chair to roll back until it hit the glass window in his office. "But I will defeat him."

Angeal shook his head, a small smile on his lips, "well I might as well try a hand at it myself."

Both Sephiroth and Genesis sent him startled a look.

"What?" Angeal smile grew wider- playful. "I'd get rusty if I just let you two have all the fun, however cheep I may be."

Genesis rolled his eyes, and Sephiroth allowed himself to smile. "I'll get to him first- and he will fall by my blade."

"So you say." The red head huffed.

"Good luck to you both then."

"Unfortunately, none of you won't be fighting anybody." The there turned to face Lazard who stepped into the office holding three forms. "I'm afraid Zack beat you all to it."

"What?" Angeal's eyes went wide, and he looked genuinely horrified at the idea, while Sephiroth pondered where he had heard that name before.

"Your student?" Genesis scoffed, visibly irritated at the prospect of someone getting to the man- Strife before he did.

"Yeah," Angeal's frown deepened, "the puppy."

 _Now_ Sephiroth remembered, Angeal had mentioned it over dinner, suggested that they both get students and to both their surprise Genesis was odly contemplative about the suggestion and mentioned something about a cadet who caught his eye.

"Don't worry," Lazard offered a reassuring glance, "I'm sure Zack will be fine, it's only a scouting mission."

"That's not what I'm worried about." Angeal sighed, "I'm worried because..."

* * *

Zack was in a good mood.

And a good meant that he was all for beating up some yakuza chumps without a second thought, despite Lazard's warning.

"Hey, did ya guys hear?" A gangster in a strange bunny mask inquired to the others who wore similar clothing to their respective yakuza boss. "The Big Boss might've found another yakuza boss this morning- heard from Benny that she's a pretty girl too."

"M'hm." Another nodded. "heard she used to a flower girl, and friend's with Choco. I think I heard him say he'd go meet her later today."

"A flow'r girl for a yakuza boss?" Zack almost snickered at the way the man pronounced yakuza.

"Don't take the chick lightly, I heard she's better than the Big Boss with materia."

"What!? But the boss is a natural!"

"That's what I said- but Big Boss said somthin' about the girl being special, turns out she is too; she grows flowers in the sector five church."

"Real flowers in the slums? Yeah right."

Curious, Zack made his way over to the sector with some unhelpful directions from the local people the building was worn down, a hole in it's massive wooden roof and some stained glass shattered in it's ornate window frame. Striding through the slightly ajar doors the flowers- white and yellow petals nestled in a hole in the floor, beams of sunlight streaming through the broken roof and making the church feel much warmer.

Humbled, Zack took careful steps over the dusty floorboards that creaked underneath his boots, sitting down in one of the pews, ignoring the squeak the rotton wood gave in protest.

"Hello."

He nearly jumped put of his seat, napping his head back to stare at a woman who wore a cream colored fox mask with flowers braided into her long brown hair. "Hi." He smiled, watching her cautiously as she sat down next to him with a flower basket on her arm. "Uh... Hi."

Was this the new boss they were talking about, Zack wondered as she delicately tied a few flowers together with a ribbon offering it to him. "Would you like some flowers?"

"Uh sure..." He paused. "Aren't you going to charge me?"

"Why would I do that?" Green eyes observed him through the slits of the mask curiously.

"Well..." He trailed off, glancing about the large room. "Flowers are really rare in Midgar, they could go for a lot of Gil!" Zack exclaimed, grinning wider. "You could be a millionaire! Live above the plate even!"

"I'm not so sure about that." She giggled. "It sounds so silly."

"Silly?" He repeated, raising an eyebrow. What was silly about being rich?

"Yes," she nodded. "I'm really happy down here." She admitted. "I've never really needed money."

"Oh." Was all he could say- sure the slums were probably getting better because of reconstruction, but was it really all that great?

"And," she turned to him once more, and Zack could tell she was smiling. "All my family is down here. It'd be sad if I would have to leave them."

"Family huh..." He wouldn't be too sure about that, since he himself had left Gongaga without a second thought and left SOLDIER, and haven't even thought to send a letter to them even after he got into SOLDIER.

"You'd like them... One Gil. How does that sound?"

"Huh?"

"The flowers." She giggled. "One Gil for each flower."

"Oh!" Zack fumbled his hands into his pockets for his wallet. "You could go way more than one Gil- hey! My wallet was stolen!"

She threw her head back in laughter, a nice bell like noise that was more soothing than Angeal's soft humming when he was in an abnormally good mood. "Hmm... I'll guess you'll have to pay me back with a date then."

"Really?" He blinked. "I mean- Alright! A date it is!" He laughed, resting his hands behind his head and leaning back.

He'd have to find his wallet later.

One wild goose chase, puppy nicknames, and a pink ribbon later Zack was left trying to figure out what he was supposed to do as the sun began to set- Oh! Right! He was supposed to be giving a report about the yakuza clan, but if they just wanted information why didn't they just go to the fan page like Kunsel and he did? So, bouquet in hand, he made his way back up the plate using the stairs and smiled despite the slight ache in his legs, stepping out of the elevator onto the forty ninth floor.

"Zack!"

"Angeal, man! Where were you this morning!?" Zack grinned, flashing the man his famous grin and displaying the flowers like a trophy.

The man paused mid step, his eyes wide in surprise. "Are those... Flowers?"

"Yep!" He grinned wider, admiring the bright petals. "My wallet and PHS got stolen, so I spent a few hours chasing around this little punk called Miller, named a bar, and got a date with a yakuza boss."

Angeal's eyebrows shot up, and his mouth parted slightly. "You're... Dating a yakuza boss..." Oops. "Did I say yakuza boss- I meant Flower Girl, I better go report to Lazard now, so bye!"

"Zack!" He heard Angeal call after him, but the raven haired SOLDIER was already rounding the corner of the long hallway. Sighing,

Angeal shook his head, recalling that he had meant to tell Zack he sent Sephiroth- oh well, it couldn't hurt since Zack came back fine he thought as he flipped open his PHS and selected the number on speed dial. "Zack," he began once there was a beep, but before he could continue he heard Sephiroth's smooth voice on the other end; _"I'm going to castrate his corpse and dance on his dimsemebered carcass..._ "

"Uh... Sorry, I think I have the wrong number." He pulled the phone away, glancing at the screen- nope, it was defiantly Sephiroth's number... And he couldn't imagine Sephiroth without his phone because the man clung to that candy game more than Zack did- and Zack could usually be found playing that game when he wasn't bored and did too many squats. "Sephiroth?"

"My apologies... I forgot myself for a moment."

Props to whatever caused that, he thought, wondering if the Fangirls had ambushed him again. "What happened?"

"That irksome yakuza happened." He hissed. "He mocked me! He was even worse than Genesis's jeers!"

"What did he say?" No he really was curious- not even Genesis could make Sephiroth loose his cool, the only occasion being when Genesis managed to close Sephiroth's PHS when he was in the middle of beating his high score on that ridiculous app, even Angeal barely survived the experience.

"First, he began by stating..." And as Sephiroth walked through all what The King had said he couldn't hold back his laughter. "You find humor in what he said?" The man snapped.

"No... Its just... Seph, he wasn't insulting you- he was flirting with you." Sometimes he started questioning if Sephiroth was really one of the smartest individuals on the planet.

"Come again?"

"Aha, well I always thought 'midnight baseball' would be pretty obvious, but he sounded pretty frustrated when you didn't get 'humping bunnies in the sheets' part." He chuckled.

"Oh..." There was the sound of something shifting. "Does that mean Genesis was also flirting with me?" He inquired distractedly.

"If he were, I'm sure he'd come up with something more romantic than 'stabbing both your eyes out' and 'setting your pompous poster boy ass on fire'."

"Touché." Another pause. "He told me something..."

"What?"

"...the reaper's name..."

Angeal nearly stumbled, thinking back to the time Sephiroth collapsed from exhaustion for a week, then woke up looking more refreshed than ever and rambling about how he had to learn 'Death's' name. Genesis had actually been the one who told Angeal the man wasn't delirious and admitted to 'feeling' another presence lingering around him. He knew something happened, but he never actually believed that Sephiroth actually met someone.

"Its a lovely name..."

"Sephiroth."

"Hn?"

"... Nevermind, just get back here soon."

* * *

 **~Bonus~**

 **Unknown: Hai~**

 **CS00477-B: who is this?**

 **Unknown: your future wife**

 **CS00477-B: uh...**

 **Unknown: so what should the name of our child be?**

 **CS00477-B: uh... I'm going to block you now.**

Cloud shuddered, sticking his third phone into the sink of the garbage disposal where he munched on crispy bacon strips. "Not the way I wanted to start my morning." He grumbled.

* * *

 **AN: I actually didn't really like this chapter. Probably because of Genesis; I can never quite get him or Angeal right, and Sephiroth is a walking complex of complexes...**

 **Anyways, I was checking out my poll and so far all you so far want;**

Fantasy; 4.19%

2 Utopian/Dystopian; 4.19%

3 Romance; 3.14%

4 Humor; 2.9%

5 Friendship; 2. 9%

6 (Psychological/Body) Horror 1.4%

7 Adventure 1.4%

8 Hurt/Comfort; 1.4%

9 Suspense; 1.4%

10 Historical; 1.4%

11 Medical; 1.4%

 **And I know that vote for Medical was my friend's, so so far its just Fantasy and Utopian/Dystopian- obviously I could do all of them, but at least I'm not doing Horror. Actually, its kind of funny because I did write a rated M story in the horror genre; I just never posted it.**


	13. The Dreaded Author's Note

**A.N: Dumb question: If the phrase "I hate my life" is politically incorrect, why is "I'm displeased/upset with my life" more appropriate? It means the same, except one is more euthanized, and if the connotation of 'hate' is more extreme than upset or displeased are we dismissing one thing that could be of equal severity just because the phrasing is different?  
**

 **That aside, it's time to bring this super long A.N to my point. When I started writing Dollhouse, I was trying to broaden my comfort zone. Sadly it didn't work. I constantly worry about what I'm going to post, worried about what people will think and honestly I'm still terrified. Originally, Dollhouse was supposed to be much different, but I didn't have the courage to write what I wanted. I wanted a quirky story about life, crime, I wanted a story with passionate narration that provokes thought. I failed and betrayed myself because I was insecure and discouraged. In the end wrote something I didn't like.**

 **But I will be continuing writing Dollhouse, just not as frequently. I'm posting chapter 14 along with this author's note but for now, I don't know if I'm going to rewrite the story or scrap it completely.  
**

 **Anyways, I guess the point of all this is after some long introspection I realized I don't like where I am, and if I continue on like this it won't blow over well. I will keep writing, and it may or may not work out well, but it's something I genuinely enjoy doing, and that's great right?**

 **To all of you who care about this crappy author who's still growing and learning from her mistakes, thank you so much for your support, your reviews. Thank you for even clicking on the damn thing because you devoted a second of your time to something I worked hard on. For those who are writing and don't have a massive amount of views, don't be discouraged. You can do anything if you put your mind to it (even murder, but it's frowned upon in almost every country in the world, so I really don't recommend it) be open to criticism, even if it's a flame. If you're going through something difficult in your life right now keep your head held high, there are people who will support you and help you move forward somewhere out there, and it will get better.**

 **I'd love to hear from you guys, and every email I get about a new story follower, or review makes me nearly cry from the immense happiness I feel. Feel free to PM me about anything, I'd love to hear from you :)  
**

 **Best Wishes, Lyumia**

 **p.s: I desperately need a beta reader (TnT)**


	14. Chapter 14: The Alison Show

_"For you I found a cell_  
 _On the top floor of a prison_  
 _Just enough space for you to fit your feet in_

 _If you go_  
 _Please let me know"_

Dillon, Thirteen Thirty-five.

 **A.N: Not quite what I wanted, but I'm pretty happy with the result. I've got to move the plot along more though. Blah. .W.**

* * *

Alison looked up at the dark sky- unlike the outskirts of Junon, not a single star greeted her upon sight as she laid down in the dark snow that was inching closer to a green hue rather than the pure white of crystal, nothing like she had ever seen on the occasion rain made it past the city above and the hill. She let out a sigh, the streaks swirling in front of her before fading and slipping into the air like her control was at the moment.

Shedding her dark blue nylon shirt she relaxed as her exposed arms were met by the frigid air and the cold seeped through the holes of her tank top, melting against her dark skin. The cold was a bitter, but familiar sensation. The water it melted into was the most pleasant she decided, her back now damp, much like she would be after a long swim.

She she was beginning to think the girls back home were right.

Maybe she should try to compose herself enough to resume patrol duty, or at least not try to catch the small white fluffs with her raised leather gloves hands and watch as the drops slowly melted and trickled down her arm. For some reason, this was all she could do with what meager energy he had left.

"I do hope you're not actually trying to give yourself hypothermia." A voice drawled, loud, proud, and full of attitude Alison turned his head and couldn't find the energy to be surprised. First Class Commander Rhapsodos, with a small shopping bag in his hand, he looked down at her with a raised eyebrow and his red hair slightly damp from the snow that had melted there, and donned in his iconic red leather coat whose black shoulder pauldron accumulating snow where it's edge curved slightly. "Unless some unruly fellow beat you bloody I highly doubt your superior officers appreciate poor attempts at suicide."

Some part of her panicked, but the thought of discovery was pushed away as she sniped; "I'll be sure to try harder next time sir." Resuming her study of- or lack of- astronomy. A faint streak of light whizzed past and Alison had to blink just to make sure she was seeing correctly. "A shooting star!" Childishly she grinned, flailing until she was sitting with her back sinking further into the snow pile she sat on and her legs stretched out in front of her, pointing up.

"Did whatever pitiful education you had as a child not inform you that they're rocks and not actual stars?" He snorted, though he did cast a thoughtful glance towards the darkened sky.

"Nope, they're totally burning balls of gas thrice the size of the planet crashing down onto our heads." Revitalized, she rolled her eyes and sent a dark frown towards the man who merely huffed at her insubordination.

"Very well." Alison nearly jumped back when Rhapsodos took one stride over to her and sat down onto the snow bank and shivered. "How you stand this cold I will never know." He rubbed his gloved hands together as bright blue mako eyes looked up at the sky, almost nostalgic.

"Uh sir... Should you really...?" He sent her a dark glare she flinched at, shrinking at his dry reply of; "Of course I shouldn't- its below freezing and my ass is two feet deep in a snowbank, when I should be next to my fireplace annoying my friends with quotes with the new copy of LOVELESS I bought." He grumbled.

"Sorry... I... The water prevents it from snowing." She blurted out.

"Pardon?"

She sucked in a nervous breath, deciding ' _what the hell_?' "Junon- its where I'm from- the water regulates the temperature... it might it freeze during the night, but the ice is always thin enough for a good dive..." She sighed fondly, watching the droplets on her leather glove trickle off the fabric.

He gave he a hard stare, his lips pressed tightly together before he spoke; "the winters were warm in Banora. It needed to be, there was no telling what season the Dumbapple trees would bear fruit and a particularly cold day could devastate saplings."

"You grew up on a farm?" She perked up, intrigued. "What was that like?"

He snorted, shaking his head and a few snow flakes fell from some strands. "I'd rather you'd say something instead- like a game, if you wish."

She looked back up at the sky, ignoring the impression of being stared at intently. "Okay." Maybe she shouldn't had said anything after all. "They called me fish girl back at home."

He snickered, rolling his eyes. "Well that's certainly nicer than what they called me."

"They must've regretted it." She laughed, imagining what the look on their faces would be once they found out she got into SOLDIER- if she got into SOLDIER.

He smirked, a devious glint in his eyes. "I made sure to rub it in." He paused. "They called you a girl?"

Oh- darn! "I w-was short." She lied, flustered and resisting the urge to cover her chest. She was wasn't flat chested, but even with all the duct tape she could easily be mistaken for a guy since she cute her hair short. "And I had long hair." She stuttered.

He had a sour look on his face when he said; "of course."

Alison didn't push, instead she said; "I g-guess it was a good thing after all, c-cause my hair would get in the way sometimes." She stammered, running her fingers through the short brown strands.

"... Its suits you."

"H-huh?" She blinked, but he wasn't looking at her, instead he gazed up at the sky thoughtfully.

"Meteor shower," he said instead. "The mako let me see some of it. I'm impressed you noticed it though."

"Uh..." She bit her lip nervously. "I must have really good eyesight then..."

"Unlikely." Was his curt reply. Guess that rumor about the crimson commander being more sociable was a complete lie. "I _prefer_ not to socialize- most find that I'm more talkative than my companions."

"What? Oh! I said that out loud didn't I?" She gushed, wondering if she should apologize or something.

"Yes, and don't apologize. I might actually leave if you do."

"Why?"

He sighed, running a hand though his hair. "I'm a bit sick of formalities and pleasantries at this point- I love attention, don't get me wrong..." He paused sending Alison a peculiar glance. "... Don't apologize for anything when you haven't done anything."

"What?"

He gave her a glare, quickly replying; "you're getting advice from a SOLDIER first Class and Commander- pay closer attention when someone is talking. I don't repeat myself, and neither do the others."

"Sorry." He glared. "Sor-" She stopped herself and he gave a smug smirk in her direction once he turned back to look up at the sky. "Wait... What do you mean others?"

"You future commanders of course." He snorted. "And a rather pompous, thick headed General as well."

"But... That's only if..."

He quirked an eyebrow, scowling disapprovingly. "So you came all this way from Junon, enlisted and trained for nothing?" She fell silent, hugging her legs closely. "You came here to join SOLDIER didn't you? Act like one cadet, nobody wants a sulking brat in their ranks who lies helplessly around like some pathetic child."

It sucked- because she knew he was right.

"I know." When did he stand up, Alison wondered, staring at the hand that was extended to her. "To be fair, I had an even ruder awakening myself."

Silently, she accepted his help, feeling the weight lift from her shoulders. Everything felt lighter. "Thank you."

He smiled- and this time it seemed genuine- giving her a small nod and silently she could hear 'you're welcome'. "Genesis Rhaspodos, Commander First Class SOLDIER."

How much she wanted to tell him her full name... "Ali. Harrison. Private."

" _When the war of the beasts brings about the world's end/ The goddess descends from the sky/ Wings of light and dark spread afar/ She guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting._ " He quoted, producing a white hardcover book that read 'Loveless' in gold print.

What?" She stared up at him in confusion as he clicked his tongue and shook his head.

" _It seems I you have still much to learn before you become SOLDIER_."

Disoriented, Alison lifted herself from where she laid, looking about the rocky beach she watched the grains of sand cling to her fingers as she lifted them, gaping at the colorful expanse beneath the clear water. Was this... Her inner self? She wondered, staring down at the coral clothing her body, and when she looked over at her reflection there were seashells in her wavy hair.

She was being watched.

" _You're finding yourself._ " Alison jumped, falling down into the water ungracefully and sputtering once her head broke the surface. A blonde woman smiled at her apologetically, laughing softly when Alison averted her eyes away from her blatant nudity. " _Judge... Alison... Was it?"_

"Choco." She automatically corrected. The nickname had really grown on her. "And what do you mean by judge?"

 _"The King's hammer,"_ She laughed once more, seeing the face Alison made. " _Mallet. Your predecessors' iron will was influential in the time of The Great Kingdoms Reign. You will proudly bear the mark of the wolf into battle."_

"Battle? What battle? And who are you?" Warily, she pulled herself out from the water- and was that Walrus laughing at her?!

 _"I expected you to be confused."_

Suddenly, the ground was going from her feet and an orb of green and blue glowed before her, its massive size easily overwhelming her. "What..."

 _"This is I."_ She smiled, now clothes in extravagant gold armor. " _I am the air you breath, the blood in your body, the skin on your flesh, to the very ground you stand on. As your King phrased it; I am the very plane of your existence, yet only a small part."_

"Wow... Okay." She breathed. "What do you mean by king?"

 _"His true name. The one I have gifted to. You know him as Cloud Strife."_

"Oh... Uh sorry about the whole taking over the world think without asking you first..." She said awkwardly, running her fingers through her hair.

" _It is of no conscience_." She assured. " _It is his birthright... In this existence._ "

"In this existence?" Alison repeated, staring back at the Planet. "Wow, bet Cloud would be ecstatic his parallel universe theory was right." She snorted.

" _He was_." She made a face. " _Though I did not understand most of his ramblings_."

"Science." The shorter shrugged.

" _Is that what they call it now_?" She mused, and Alison fell, feeling the weight return to her limbs. " _Upon his request, it is that I come to you now. He felt it best that I explain his knowledge to you, rather than he. So tell me Judge, what you wish to know?"_

She smiled knowingly, reaching out for Alison, her hand hovered directly over her heart. " _He is here. He always had been."_

 _Wow that was cheesy- cute, but cheesy._ Alison looked at the woman in horror when she said; " _I'm not sure I understand the context of that word, but I do not lie. The Calamity's taint connects you, as it does to your King. The Prisoner envies him_."

"Cloud?" Alison balked. "He's jealous of Cloud?" Sure Cloud was nice, and awesome with a sword, but Genesis is... Her train of thought stopped as the woman's smile grew wider.

" _The knowledge pleases him_." Alison cursed the red head. " _But The Calamity's lies slowly poison his mind."_

 _"_ Jenova _."_ Alison let out a shaky breath, clasping at her chest. The reason she lost everything. Hojo's monster. The Walrus lounging on a mound of boulders lifted its head, shuffling closer to her and nuzzling her leg reassuringly. "I have to help him."

 _"Her taint lies within you as well Judge. If you were to fall to her claim, both he and you would be lost."_ She warned, a frown settling on her flawless features.

"I don't care, I just have to..." The Walrus looked up at her, its dull blue eyes glinting knowingly as it dove into the water and floated on its back. ' _Follow_ '. "See him." She said, diving into the water after it. As she broke the surface she felt the warm liquid curl around her body eagerly, green shrouding her vision as she clambered onto the Walrus's now exposed back.

" _Go to him."_ Green eyes looked back into hers and all she cloud do was nod as the woman on the beach became further away.

The deeper the warm body of blubber beneath her took her into the world the more sickly it looked; the once colorful coral was now stark white, and the water became so tainted with pollutants that she couldn't help but cringe as it clung to her skin.

" _A daughter_?" A honey sweet voice cooed. " _One that smells of the sea."_

 _"Don't listen to her."_ The green seemed more far away, distant, leaving Alison feeling empty inside.

" _Traitor_!" The voice hissed venomously, making Alison's head throb. " _You liars steal my children away_!" Tremulously, she held her breath as the Walrus lead her to the black rock of land and an unforgiving cave laid before her, completely enshrouded by darkness. " _Yes... Come closer... My sweet daughter..._ "

She couldn't help but shudder.

" _There's no reason to be afraid... No need to fight... No need for those..._ _ **Traitors**_ _._ " Cold hands stroked her face, and Alison looked about weakly.

"Traitors?"

" _Yes... Those traitors... The ones who refuse their birthright... The gift I've given them... The_ _ **love**_ _I've given them. Come closer child... We'll take what is ours..."_

"Mother."

"Harrison!"

 _Who... Who was calling? Was... That my name?_

 _(No my child... Come closer...)_

"Harrison!" The voice grew closer... Curious, she took a step closer, the daughter stepping away from her mother as the lady in silver howled at her; only to hear the soft rattle of chains she took a step. Then another.

" _Verse one." She declared proudly, smirking up at the red head who rolled his eyes and leaned back in his office chair. "Not too bad for a rookie eh?"_

 _"Don't act so smug." Even so he shot her a playful smirk. "You are just a rookie, after all- And to say I didn't have any small part in your accomplishment," he snicked haughtily. "Would be an understatement."_

 _Scowling she crossed her arms over her chest and fumed._

 _"SOLDIER." She turned, glaring at the wall. "Very mature. Third Class Harrison?" He clicked his tongue disapprovingly. "Ali?" She could hear his footsteps come closer. "I was joking. You worked hard, like a true SOLDIER would." She spun on her heel to face his smug smirk. "Oh good, I was wondering if I'd have to start reciting novella just to get an reaction out of you."_

 _"Somehow I wouldn't put it past you..."_

His name... It was on the tip of her tongue. She stumbled, her legs heavy, like lead. What was his name?

"SOLDIER," She could head the soft sound of him clicking his tongue disapprovingly. "You're a mess..."

 _"Who was your commander Choco?" Aerith inquired, picking out flowers in her garden as Cloud watched the two silently from where he sat in the pews. She giggled, green eyes glinting deviously. "It sounds like your in lo-ove."_

 _"What!? Don't be ridiculous." Alison laughed, shaking her head roughly._

 _"It does sound a lot like hero worship." Cloud mused, speaking up for the first time after she had introduced Aerith to Cloud. She had met the flower girl on a routine patrol, when she had gotten horrible lost in and ended up in the church- quickly figuring out she was girl, Aerith instantly warmed up and started rambling as if they were friends forever about the flowers and her church._

 _"From the way you two met, I wouldn't be surprised it you had a crush on Aerith, Cloud." It wasn't her strongest comeback , and the desired affect was probably useless since she was still blushing, so she quickly added. "Cloud and Aerith sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"_

 _"What can I say," he smiled wryly. "Aerith is special. Unfortunately, I'm not really into puppy love."_

 _"I prefer the pups anyway." She joked with a wink._

 _Did I miss something, She wondered._

 _"Ha, why don't you just going up in our little gang of Weirdo's, you'd fit right in." Alison laughed weakly with a sigh._

 _"Maybe I will." She hummed._

 _"Huh?"_

 _"I was going to ask anyway." Cloud shrugged. "Thanks for sparing me the trouble." He smirked._

 _"Gah! You're just like Gen-"_

"You really don't remember me?" She could imagine the small frown. "I'm hurt Harrison, I thought the throes of our friendship were memorable.

"I..." She fell to the hard ground. "... Head hurts... So much static..."

"Funny. I recall a disrespectful cadet lounging around my office like a lazy bum and commenting about how 'pleasant' it sounded. Not that I wasn't aware of that, thank you very much."

"Asshole." She grumbled.

"If you have the energy to spout off insults, why aren't you getting up?"

"I can't... Sorry..."

" _My soul, corrupted by vengeance/ Hath endured torment, to find the end of the journey/ In my own salvation/ And your eternal slumber_ -"

 _"your voice is really nice." She blurted out, her cheeks twinged with pink once she realized she had spoken her thoughts. "Sorry."_

 _He huffed, closing the copy of LOVELESS he read andand set it down on his glass desk, it slid against the surface that shook upon impact and Alison flinched. "That's the third time you've apologized today."_

 _"Sor-" her voice caught in her throat when his glare turned cold._

 _He sighed, sitting down in his seat and leaning back in his chair expectantly. "Well? Do you need some condolence before you tell me the woes of your life?"_

 _"For starters... You're kind of an asshole."_

 _"Duly noted; correction, there is no kind of." He rolled his eyes, looking out his window in boredom."if you're going to say something, say it without reservations."  
_

 _"Okay, you're an asshole."_

 _"Better."_

 _"And... Some guys... Thought it would be funny to take my clothes when I was in the shower." It wasn't the prank that bothered her so much, it was the knowledge that she easily could've been discovered if someone had thought to take a look._

 _"I imagine you either streaked though the halls or you streaked in front of them to gain some shred of decency." He commented flatly, an unreadable expression on his face._

 _"Actually... I broke into my friends locker and stole his clothes..."_

 _"Pffftttt."_

 _"Oh yeah, cause shuffling through dirty underwear is always real fun, Genesis."_

"And I was beginning to worry." Someone just patted her head. A hot breeze tickled her bare skin. "Yes, I know, I'm attractive, charming and built like a heater, but I am by no means a _spoon_."

"Genesis?"

"No, I'm that little blonde with the ridiculous hair Sephiroth's taken a liking to."

She opened her eyes, staring down at the blades of grass she could see past the leather clad leg she rested her head on, small white flowers- smiling up at the dark sky. She sat up, taking in Genesis's appearance. He still wore his SOLDIER uniform, except there was a large ebony wing protruding from his back, and shackles around his wrist. He looked exhausted too... He sighed, sitting her upright.

"I'm sorry."

"Do you not recall what I said about apologizing?"

"I forgot you."

"You remembered me." He said firmly, closing the argument with about another word. "I hate it when he's right..."

"Genesis?"

He quickly shushed her. She sighed, looking up to the starry sky smiling down at them, and a bright light streaked across the expanse. "A shooting star!" She exclaimed, pointing to where more lights raced downward. "I have fins!" She gasped, glancing down at her arms, covered in scales with a pink sheen just like the coral around her webbed hands.

"Yes, congratulations, you found yourself and now you look like a fish themed stripper." He drawled, rolling his eyes.

"Found myself?"

He pursued his lips, wrapping an arm around her waist and holding her close. "You resisted Jenova, as did that boy." He scowled as he spoke the words. " Whilst I'm the Judge of deceit... How ironic." He faced her. "I was degrading- or starting to, rather."

" I don't understand."

"I... Was betrayed." He admitted, holding her gaze. "I discovered, recently I was nothing more than a failed experiment, with the help of the Blondie's friend, and I... I'm dying."

"What can I do?" She sat up straighter.

"Nothing." He looked away, . "I'm afraid this is one journey I must embark on my own."

"I saw what Hojo did to you," He began. "And If I happen to dive unceremoniously into insanity, I request that you take that man- Vincent, up on his offer to slaughter that monster like an animal."

"Commander, you're not going to go insane. You helped me didn't you?"

He stayed silent, staring down at his shackled hands.

"You're strong. One of the best, and people look up to you." She whispered. "You can't just sit here, you know? Moping around like a baby won't accomplish anything."

"My own words used as canon fodder against me." He mumbled, a small smile stretching on his lips.

"Though much nicer." She teased. "Mister Commander and SOLDIER first class."

"My student." He snorted, looking out to the wide ocean that surrounded their small island.

"I knew I should've bought that book about bird nicknames."

"Don't you _dare_." He glowered down at her, coaxing out a quiet bird related remark from the brunette; and suddenly the grass beneath her wasn't rubbing at her legs instead a rush of water ran up to greet her.

"Genesis!" She sputtered as she gasped for air, glaring at the man who hovered above her, holding his sides as he laughed. "You asshole!"

"My friend, do you swim away now? To a world that abhors you and I? All that awaits you is a somber morrow, No matter where the tides may go, My friend, your desire Is the bringer of life, the gift of the goddess. Even if the morrow is barren of promises Nothing shall forestall my return." He smirked, flying back down onto the island's rocky shore and extending a hand to Alison.

"That's so horrible." She teased, allowing him to pull her from the water and onto her feet. "Horrid, and cheesy."

"I'm sure I'll have plenty of time to do better." He huffed, puffing out his chest. "But for now, there is still much more for you to learn."

* * *

"Welcome back to the living, Choco!" Shelly cooed once Alison had woken, smiling like an idiot.

"Hey guys~" she practically sang, skipping as she moved to get dressed.

"Choco and Genesis sitting under a tree," Aerith sang with a smile.

"T-R-A-I-N-I-N-G." She finished with a giggle.

"Awe, everybody's gone an met up wit' old friends 'n lovers." Shelly pouted. "Makes me feel lonely."

"Did something happen while I was out?" Why did she always miss out on everything?

"Aerith-baby got a date!" Shelly squealed, hugging the green eyes grip tightly.

"Awe, did Aerith find her puppy?" Alison cooed playfully.

"Right before you found yours." She sent a knowing wink and Alison couldn't stop herself. "Actually, he's a bird."

She could already hear the man swearing.

* * *

 **A.N: Thanks for reading.**


	15. Update and Rewrite Preview

So I decided to unofficially start on that rewrite and it's... a lot different.

Because of how it's still going to be edited even though I'm posting chapters already, I decided to only post the WIP on Archive of Our Own, so if you do want to look at it, it's over on my AO3 account by the name Playmate WIP. If you don't, well, I'll be posting the finished version on here, so no worries.

I'll be rewriting a lot of my old stories too, but I'll get to them when I can because I've kind of stopped caring a lot about things recently so expect a lot more activity from me, because I'm about to pump out a lot of stories, including some that were too bad to even post online, muhahaha.

But yeah I kind of stopped caring about making stuff that seems super skilled and just wanna write the fanfiction I want, cause I'm a loser, hahaha

Anyway here is preview

* * *

He let out a miserable whimper, jerking him away from the past. He ducked behind his mother's skirt after she dragged him behind a rock by his upper arm. She peeked out from behind it, scowling at the sound of distant roar echoing through the mountain.

"Quiet." She hushed him when he whimpered, taking pity upon his tear stained face. "There will be plenty opportunities later." She brought their foreheads together, closing her blue eyes with a sigh. He frowned at the seared leather on her sleeve, tenderly rubbing the pale skin around the red burns as if his touch alone would make it throb less.

"Momma?" His voice cracked. Tears welled in his eyes but he would not let them fall. His mother told him not to cry, so he wouldn't.

She smiled, pushing his wild hair out of eyes. "Listen to me Cloud." He held her gaze, scared by the intensity of her expression. Watching her step away and stand, gripping the hilt of her sword tightly he was terrified seeing her like that- not because he was scared of her, but of what it could have meant. "When I say run, you run. Do you understand?" Her expression was void of the previous tenderness uttered before, now was a woman who was not his mother, but a warrior.

He didn't really - he didn't understand a lot, but the slight ache of his chest told him enough. "Yes ma'am."


End file.
